Infect Chemother.  2012 Dec;44(6):473-476. 10.3947/ic.2012.44.6.473.

A Case of Community-Acquired Acinetobacter Meningitis

• Ryu SH
• Yu CM
• Suh SO
• Kim JH
• Ko YJ
• Park JH
• Cho JH

• KMID: 1806936
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2012.44.6.473

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii infections have become significant pathogen in hospitalized patients, especially in the intensive care unit setting. Community-acquired Acinetobacter meningitis in adults is a very rare infection of the central nervous system. Most community-acquired Acinetobacter infections have been reported from countries with a tropical or subtropical climate. Acinetobacter infections mainly affect patients with some form of comorbidity and are also associated with heavy smoking and excess alcohol consumption. In our case, a 62-year-old male patient with DM, hypertension, and excess alcohol consumption developed meningitis. Bulging membrane and inflammation were observed in the right ear. A. baumannii meningitis was confirmed by blood, CSF, and ear discharge culture. The patient was treated effectively with meropenem for 21 days. After antibiotic treatment, follow-up cultures of CSF, blood, and ear discharge showed a negative result, and the CSF cell profile was normalized. However, the patient died of recurrent pneumonia on hospital day 45. We report on a case of community-acquired Acinetobacter meningitis in an adult in Korea.

Keyword

Acinetobacter baumannii; Acinetobacter infection; Acinetobacter; meningitis; Community acquired infection

MeSH Terms

Acinetobacter
Acinetobacter baumannii
Acinetobacter Infections
Adult
Alcohol Drinking
Central Nervous System
Climate
Comorbidity
Ear
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hypertension
Inflammation
Intensive Care Units
Korea
Male
Membranes
Meningitis
Pneumonia
Smoke
Smoking
Thienamycins
Smoke
Thienamycins

Figure

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  Figure 1 Brain CT shows acute otitis media and mastoiditis, right (arrow). Opacified air cells and fluid are identified in the middle ear and mastoid.

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  Figure 2 Gram stain on CSF shows gram negative bacilli (arrow). (H&E stain, ×1,000 Cerebrospinal fluid).

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