Multiple Brain Abscesses at King Khalid University Hospital

Abstract

The authors reviewed six cases of multiple brain abscesses that were treated at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) over an eight year period. This represented 22% of the total brain abscesses treated during the same period. The series is unusual in that the infective pathogens were fungi (Fonsecaea pedrosoi) in two patients (33%) and an aerobic actinomycete (Nocardia asteroides) in one patient (16%). Two patients treated elsewhere with antibiotics empirically for one month died at three and 28 days following admission. The poor outcome was probably related to the delay in obtaining a microbiological diagnosis and commencing the appropriate antimicrobial therapy. The importance of early identification of the pathogen in patients with multiple brain abscesses is stressed.

A rare case of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis caused by Fonsecaea species in a renal transplant patient

“…The Fonsecaea species CP epidemiology is not clear with cases reported from different parts of the world like Japan, Turkey, USA, UK, Iran, Brazil, India, and Saudi Arabia [ 11 ]. Previously, three cases of Fonsecaea species CP from Saudi Arabia in late 80s and early 90s were reported with deadly outcome [ 12 , 13 ]. We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first case (overall fourth case report) of Fonsecaea species cerebral infection from the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia.…”