Summary
A rare case of primary cerebral abscess due to Nocardia asteroides, and its surgical removal, are described. Postoperative meningitis caused by the same fungi was succesfully cured with sulphadiazine and cycloserine. The nocardial disease, its neurological complications, and therapy are reviewed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bach, M. C., Adler, J. L., Breman, J., P'eng, F. K., Sahyoun, A., Schlesringer, R. M., Madras, P., Monaco, A. P., Influence of rejection therapy on fungal and nocardial infections in renal transplant recipients. Lancet1 (1973), 180–184.
Bach, M. C., Monaco, A. P., Finland, M., Pulmonary nocardiosis. Therapy with Micocycline and with Erytromycin plus Ampicillin. J.A.M.A.224 (1973), 1378–1381.
Baikie, A. G., Macdonald, C. B., Mundy, G. R., Systemic nocardiosis treated with trimethoprim and Sulphamethoxazole. Lancet2 (1970), 261.
Beaumont, R. J., Trimethoprim as a possible therapy for nocardiosis and melioidosis. Med. J. Aust.2 (1970), 1123.
Black, W. A., McNellin, D. A., Sensitivity of Nocardia to trimethoprim and sulphonamidesin vitro. J. clin. Path.23 (1970), 423–426.
Bobbitt, O. B., Friedman, I. H., Lupton, C., Nocardiosis: report of three cases. New Engl. J. Med.252 (1955), 893–897.
Borhes, L. D., Sherman, I. C., Hesser, C. J.,et al., Fungus infections of the central nervous system. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat. (Chicago)75 (1956), 175–197.
Brine, J. A. S., Human nocardiosis. A developing clinical picture. Med. J. Aust.1 (1965), 339.
Carlile, W. K., Holley, K. E., Logan, G. B., Fatal acute disseminated nocard- iosis in a child. J. Amer. Med. Ass.184 (1963), 477–480.
Cupp, C. M., Edwards, W. M., Clive, E. A., Nocardiosis of the central nervous system: report of two cases. Ann. intern. Med.52 (1960), 223–229.
Eckhardt, K., Pilcher, J., Brain abscess due to Nocardia asteroides. Report of a case. Tex. St. J. Med.46 (1950), 915–919.
Eppinger, H., Über eine neue pathogene Cladothrix und eine durch sie hervor- gerufene Pseudotuberculosis (cladothrichica). Wien. Klin. Wschr.3 (1890), 321–323.
Epstein, S., Unusual cause of spinal cord compression: Nocardiosis. New York J. Med.63 (1963), 3422–3426.
Erchul, J. W., Koch, M. L., Cerebral nocardiosis with coexistent pulmonary tuberculosis. Report of a fatal case. Amer. J. clin. Path.252 (1955), 775–789.
Evans, R. A., Benson, R. E., Complicated nocardiosis successfully treated with trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole. Med. J. Aust.1 (1971), 684.
Freese, J. W., Young, W. G., Jr., Sealy, W. C.,et al., Pulmonary infection by Nocardia asteroides. Findings in eleven clinical cases. J. Thorac. cardiovasc. Surg.46 (1963), 537–547.
Gordy, P. D., Nocardiosis of the central nervous system. (Abstract) Annual meeting of American Academy of Neurosurgery. Florida, November, 1967.
Hathaway, B. M., Mason, K. N., Nocardiosis. Amer. J. med.32 (1962), 903–909.
Hickey, R. C., Berglund, E. M., Nocardiosis: aerobic actinomycosis with emphasis on alimentary tract as portal of entry. Arch. Surg.67 (1953), 381–391.
Hoeprich, P. D., Brandt, D., Parker, R. H., Nocardial brain abscess cured with Cycloserine and Sulfonamides. Amer. J. Med. Sci.255 (1968), 208–216.
Jacobson, J. R., Cloward, R. B., Actinomycosis of the central nervous system: a cause of meningitis with recovery. J. Amer. med. Ass.137 (1948), 769–771.
Kaufman, N., Prieto, L. C., Cerebral nocardiosis. Report of a case with necropsy. Arch. Path.53 (1952), 379–384.
Kepes, J. J., Schoolman, A., Case report and technical note. Post-traumatic abscess of the medulla oblongata containing Nocardia asteroides. J. Neuro- surg.22 (1965), 511–514.
King, R. B., Stoops, W. L., Fitzgibbons, J.,et al., Nocardia asteroides menin- gitis. A case successfully treated with large doses of Sulfadiazine and urea. J. Neurosurg.24 (1966), 749–751.
Kremer, E. P., Pulmonary and cerebral, nocardial abscess. Med. J. Aust.2 (1972), 538–540.
Krueger, E. G., Norsa, L., Kenney, M.,et al., Nocardiosis of the central nervous system. J. Neurosurg.11 (1954), 226–233.
Ledebur, C. D. von, Contribution à l'étude des mycoses cérébrales humaines (11 cas anatomo-cliniques). Arch. Suiss. de Neurol. Neurochir. et de Psychiatr.102 (1968), 79–123.
List, C. F., Williams, J. R., Beeman, C. B.,et al., Nocardiosis with multi- locular cerebellar abscess. Report of a cured case. J. Neurosurg.11 (1954), 394–398.
Munslow, R. A., Actinomycotic (Nocardia asteroides) brain abscess with recovery: case report. J. Neurosurg.11 (1954), 399–402.
Murray, I. G., Mahgoub, E. S., Marcovitch, H., Norman, A. P., Treatment of nocardiosis. Lancet2 (1970), 362–363.
New, E. J. Med., Case Records of the Massachusetts General Hospital288 (1973), 1115–1121.
Nocard, E., Note sur la maladie des Boeufs de la guadeloupe. Connue sour le non de farcin. Ann. Inst. Pasteur2 (1888), 293–302.
Orfanakis, M. E., Wilcox, H., Smith, C. B.,In vitro studies on the combined effect of Ampicillin and Sulfonamides on Nocardia asteroides and results of therapy in four cases. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.1 (1972), 215–220.
Pizzolato, P., Ziekind, J., Derman, H.,et al., Nocardiosis of the brain. Report of three cases. Amer. J. clin. Path.36 (1961), 151–156.
Rhoades, E. R., Riley, H. D., Mushmore, H. G., Cycloserine in treatment of human nocardiosis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. (1961), 352.
Shuster, M., Klein, M. M., Pribor, H. C., Kozub, W., Brain abscess due to nocardia. Report of a case. Arch. intern. Med.120 (1967), 610–614.
Supena, R., Karlim, D., Strate, R., Cramer, P. G., Pulmonary alveolar protein- osis and Nocardia brain abscess. Arch. Neurol. (Chicago)30 (1974), 266–268.
Testard, E., Mariat, F., Gaches, J., Le Bean, J., Abcés cérébraux multiples dus à une espèce inhabituelle de Nocardia. Rev. Neurol. (Paris)91 (1954), 92–101.
Turner, O. A., Brain abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides. J. Neurosurg.11 (1954), 312–318.
Turner, E., Whitby, J. L., Nocardial cerebral abscess with systemic involvement successfully treated by aspiration and sulphonamides. Case report. J. Neuro- surg.31 (1969), 227–229.
Tveten, L., Cerebral mycosis. A clinico-pathological report of four cases. Acta neurol. scand.41 (1965), 19–33.
Viroslav, J., Williams, T. W., Nocardial infection of the pulmonary and central nervous system: successful treatment with medical therapy. South. Med. J.64 (1971), 1382–1385.
Weed, L. A., Andersen, H. A., Good, C. A.,et al., Nocardiosis. Clinical, bacteriologie and pathological, aspects. New Engl. J. Med.253 (1955), 1137–1143.
Weintraub, M. I., Classer, G. H., Nocardial brain abscess and pure motor hemiplegia. New York State J. Med.70 (1970), 2717–2721.
Weiss, M. H., Jane, J. A., Nocardia asteroides brain abscess successfully treated by enucleation. Case report. J. Neurosurg.30 (1969), 83–86.
Welsh, J. D., Rhoades, E. R., Jaques, W., Disseminated nocardiosis involving spinal cord: case report. Archs. intern. Med.108 (1961), 73–79.
Wolinetz, E., Le Beau, J., Abcès cérébral a Nocardia asteroides. Rev. Neurol. (Paris)121 (1969), 464–467.
Young, L. S., Armstrong, D., Blevins, A., Lieberman, P., Nocardia asteroides infection complicating neoplastic disease. Amer. J. Med.50 (1971), 356–367.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lope, E.S., Gutierrez, D.C. Nocardia asteroides primary cerebral abscess and secondary meningitis. Acta neurochir 37, 139–145 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01401932
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01401932