Mycobacterium bovis Infection of a Deep Brain Stimulation System Following Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Instillation

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an advanced treatment in Parkinson’s disease. We describe a 71-year-old patient in whom the DBS got infected with Mycobacterium bovis shortly after intravesical BCG instillations as an adjuvant treatment of bladder cancer. The DBS internal pulse generator and extension wires had to be replaced, and the patient was treated successfully with rifampicin, isoniazid, and ethambutol during three months. This case suggests that physicians need to be aware of the risk of this kind of infection and add a specific Mycobacterial test to the regular cultures.