2002 Volume 41 Issue 11 Pages 1073-1078
Listerial brain abscess is extremely rare; only two cases have been reported in Japan. We encountered a female patient with immunoblastic lymphadenopathy, who developed listerial brain abscess after 8 years of treatment with antineoplastic agents and corticosteroids. Brain MRI revealed multiple space occupying lesions, suggesting abscesses which were possibly caused by hematogenous spread of the bacteria. Immediate blood culture enabled early diagnosis, and she entered into complete remission with high-dose ampicillin. Blood culture and brain imaging seem to play a crucial role in making an early diagnosis, and the administration of high dose of antibiotics is recommended for improvement of this disease.
(Internal Medicine 41: 1073-1078, 2002)
