Emerging role of Actinomyces meyeri in brain abscesses: A case report and literature review

Authors

Laia Jimena Vazquez Guillamet, Department of Medicine, Yale New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant St., Bridgeport, CT, 06610, USA.
Maricar F. Malinis, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA.
Jaimie P. Meyer, Yale AIDS Program, New Haven, CT, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

IDCases

Abstract

We describe a case of a 29-year-old man from Pakistan who presented with progressive neurologic symptoms over 1 week and was found to have a right parietal cerebral abscess. Neurosurgical drainage cultures showed growth of Actinomyces meyeri, Streptococcus intermedius, and Parvimonas micra. An abscessed molar was identified as the likely port of entry and was extracted. The patient was treated with metronidazole, vancomycin, and doxycycline because of prior anaphylaxis to penicillin. At 6-month follow-up, repeat magnetic resonance imaging showed no signs of residual abscess. Culture-independent identification techniques (e.g., ribosomal sequencing) increasingly identify Actinomyces meyeri as a causative agent and significant pathogen in spontaneous brain abscesses. As understanding about Actinomyces meyeri's prevalence and pathogenesis improves, questions arise about optimal treatment strategy, which we discuss based on a literature review.

First Page

26

Last Page

29

DOI

10.1016/j.idcr.2017.07.007

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Recommended Citation

Vazquez Guillamet, Laia Jimena; Malinis, Maricar F.; and Meyer, Jaimie P., "Emerging role of Actinomyces meyeri in brain abscesses: A case report and literature review" (2017). All Research. 244.
https://scholar.bridgeporthospital.org/all_research/244

Identifier

28831384 (pubmed); PMC5554978 (pmc); 10.1016/j.idcr.2017.07.007 (doi); S2214-2509(17)30095-1 (pii)