Cerebral actinomycosis before adolescence.
In a 10-year-old boy presenting with focal seizures and 6 months later with acute right-sided hemiparesis, the diagnosis of a cerebral abscess due to Actinomyces israelii was established. The immunocompetent child suffered from a complex congenital heart disease with pulmonary arteriovenous shunts and pulmonary hypertension causing mild cyanosis. His parents had been reluctant to agree to neuroimaging investigations resulting in a delayed diagnosis. Despite the long interval between first symptoms and commencement of treatment including neurosurgical excision of the abscess followed by a 4-week course of ceftriaxone, a complete recovery of the hemiparesis was observed. This patient is the first case with cerebral actinomycosis before adolescence reported so far.
Division of Infectious Diseases, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
E
E
Olah
C
C
Berger
E
E
Boltshauser
D
D
Nadal
D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010291:Paresis / Q000382:microbiology; D012640:Seizures / Q000382:microbiology