Nocardia brain abscess
The diagnosis is suspected in high-risk patients presenting with soft-tissue abscesses and CNS lesions. CNS involvement occurs in about one-third and includes:
1. cerebral abscess: often multiloculated
2. meningitis
3. ventriculitis in patients with cerebrospinal fluid shunt 1)
4. epidural spinal cord compression from vertebral osteomyelitis 2)
1)
Byrne E, Brophy BP, Pettett LV. Nocardia Cerebral
Abscess: New Concepts in Diagnosis, Management,
and Prognosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979;
42:1038–1045
2)
Awad I, Bay JW, Petersen JM. Nocardial Osteomyelitis of the Spine with Epidural Spinal Cord
Compression - A Case Report. Neurosurgery. 1984;
15:254–256