title: Stroke caused by an inflammatory thrombus: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Several definite risk factors have been identified for stroke, although infectious factors might also contribute to stroke episodes through increased susceptibility or direct induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 46-year-old Chinese male initially presented with fever, headache, and impaired memory and developed disturbance of consciousness after admission. A clinical diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus sepsis, massive cerebral infarction and haemorrhagic transformation (left internal carotid arterial system, inflammatory thrombus) were made based on brain radiography, blood culture and postoperative pathological examinations. These symptoms improved following antibiotic therapy with vancomycin and conventional treatments for stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For stroke patients without traditional cerebrovascular risk factors but with signs of infection, infectious causes should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China. guowei1010@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D001167:Arteritis / Q000150:complications*; D002341:Carotid Artery Thrombosis / Q000150:complications*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Haemorrhagic transformation; Infection; Inflammatory thrombus; Staphylococcus aureus; Stroke