Brain abscess in a neonate: an unusual presentation.
BACKGROUND
Neonatal brain abscesses are very rare and their clinical presentation is specific for this age group. They usually occur as a complication of bacterial meningitis or septicemia. They are most often caused by gram-negative organisms, and mortality and morbidity are still significant in this particular group of patients in spite of antibiotics and modern radiological tools.


METHODS
We report an unusual case of a multiloculated brain abscess in a term neonate caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The abscess developed in the absence of trauma, prior surgery, cyanotic heart disease, mother's disease, or immune defect. The onset of infection in this case was not clear and image features mimicked a brain tumor in the initial evaluation. The infant was successfully treated by primary surgical excision of the lesion and a 6-week total course of intravenous antibiotics.


CONCLUSIONS
The interest of this case lies in the rarity of the causative organism and the atypical features of clinical and neurological images in a term neonate.
de Oliveira
Ricardo Santos
RS
Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Campus Universitário, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil. rsoliveira30@yahoo.fr
Pinho
Vitor Ferreira
VF
Madureira
João Flávio Gurjão
JF
Machado
Helio Rubens
HR
D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography