title: Community-acquired intracranial suppurative infections: A 15-year report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of patients with intracranial suppurative infection (ISI) by review of clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data collected from all patients who had been diagnosed with ISI and followed up at the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department of the study site between 1998 and 2013 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 23 ISI patients identified, the mean age was 38.21 ± 12.61 years (range: 19-67 years, median: 34) and mean symptom duration was 22.25 ± 20.22 days. Headache was the most common symptom, the frontal lobe the most common localization of ISI, and mastoiditis due to chronic suppurative otitis media the most common source of infection causing ISI. Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas spp., Peptostreptococcus spp., Enterococcus avium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, and Toxoplasma gondii were isolated from the specimens collected from 6 (37.5%) of the 16 patients who underwent invasive procedures. Of these 16 patients, 2 underwent craniotomy, 12 burr hole aspiration, and 2 stereotactic biopsy. The rate of recurrence was 0% and the rates of sequelae and fatality were both 8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ISI should be considered in male patients presenting with headache and neurological signs and symptoms, whether with or without fever, on admission for early diagnosis and provision of timely, adequate therapy and, if required, surgical intervention to reduce mortality and sequelae rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, MoH Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taner
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yıldırmak
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, MoH Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Habip
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gedik
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, MoH Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simşek
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, MoH Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kantürk
keywords: Epidural abscess; HIV; intracranial abscess; intracranial suppurative infection; spinal cord abscess; subdural empyema; toxoplasmosis; tuberculosis