Klebsiella Brain Abscess in Adults

Abstract

The clinical presentations and therapeutic outcomes varied according to the different Klebsiella species. While debilitating diseases were common in K. pneumoniae infections, they were not common in K. oxytoca infection. And while metastatic septic abscess is a well-known, devastating complication of K. pneumoniae septicemia, usually seen as a brain abscess with a gas-forming appearance, all of these K. oxytoca infections had both otogenic infections and more favorable outcomes.

Gas-Forming Brain Abscess Caused by Klebsiella Pneumoniae

“…Liliang et al 6) reported 15 patients with Klebsiella brain abscess with relatively high mortality rate of 26.7% and debilitating abscess were common in Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. Two of 15 patients (13%) were found to have gas-forming abscess.…”

“…But, they have become an increasingly important cause of brain abscess particularly in patients with impaired host defense mechanism, head trauma or neurosurgical operations 6,9) . Liliang et al 6) and Rau et al 9) noted that Klebsiella pneumoniae was associated with diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis and susceptible to 3rd-generation cephalosporins and chloramphenicol. They concluded with antibiotics with or without surgery, treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae brain abscess in adult remains unsatisfactory, and mortality rate is high.…”

“…But, brain abscess is still a potentially fatal infection, especially when intraventricular empyema occurs 12,16) . Klebsiella species is one of the rare causative organisms but have become an increasingly important cause of brain abscess particularly in patient with impaired host defense mechanism due to diabetes mellitus, alcoholism and liver cirrhosis, or in head trauma or neurosurgical procedure 6,9) . Brain abscess causing bacteria that forms gas include Claustridium, enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas species.…”

“…Brain abscess causing bacteria that forms gas include Claustridium, enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas species. Often Klebsiella brain abscess has gas-forming appearance accompanied by rapid deterioration in consciousness 5,6,9) . We report a extremely rare case of gas-forming brain abscess with intraventricular empyema caused by Klebsiella pneuminiae in patient with impaired host defense mechanism due to diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis.…”

Klebsiella meningoencephalitis presenting like embolic ischemic stroke

“…Liliang et al also reported a patient with multiple Klebsiella brain abscesses in whom they were not able to obtain any typical ring-enhancing CT lesions [9].…”