PMID: 18209349Jan 23, 2008Paper

Cerebral nocardiosis in a renal transplant recipient: a case report

Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation : an Official Publication of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, Saudi Arabia
K V SrinivasUdayashanker

Abstract

A 53-year-old renal allograft recipient developed nocardial cerebral abscess. It manifested clinically with encephalitis, polycythemia, convulsions, syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and a space-occupying lesion presenting as multiple ring shadows in the left fronto-parietal lobe on computerized tomography (CT scan) of the brain. The initial clinical presentation included an afebrile patient with headache, convulsions and altered sensorium with no lateralising neurological deficit. He deteriorated later and developed coma with right hemiplegia. Purulent material was drained through left frontal craniotomy, and the culture confirmed the presence of nocardial infection. Despite aggressive therapy, the patient died a few days later. We conclude that high degree of early suspicion, diagnosis and prompt treatment should be stressed.

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