title: An independent elderly woman with rapid onset of coma.
abstract: A 75-year-old woman was transferred from a local hospital because of rapid progression to coma preceded by lower back pain and recurrent falls. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis at the local hospital revealed increased protein with a slightly elevated white blood cell count. Our imaging studies revealed multiple punctate foci with nodular enhancement in the brain and multifocal cystic lesions on the chest and abdomen. The patient was empirically treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids without improvement. She died 3 days after transfer, and autopsy was performed. The differential diagnosis, pathologic findings, and final diagnosis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: Jindong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: Anthony T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Yachnis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malaty
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009615:Nocardia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*