Infect Chemother.  2011 Aug;43(4):359-362. 10.3947/ic.2011.43.4.359.

A Case of Bain Abscess caused by Mycobacterium intracellurare

• Jung MY
• Ju DY
• Lee HA
• Jeong WS
• Yang JY
• Yeom JS

• KMID: 1936074
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2011.43.4.359

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAC) usually causes an opportunistic pulmonary infection in immunocompromised hosts who have underlying structural lung disease. Central nervous system infection due to MAC is very rare even in an immunocompromised host. Most previous reports of central nervous system infection due to MAC have been meningoencephalitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Only four cases of brain abscess due to MAC have been reported worldwide. We report a case of brain abscess due to MAC in a non-HIV patient. Although drugs used for treatment of MAC have limited central nervous penetration, an azithromycin-based anti-tuberculous therapy after surgical drainage of the abscess showed improvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of MAC brain abscess in the Korean literature.

Keyword

Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex infection; Brain abscess

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Brain Abscess
Central Nervous System Infections
Drainage
HIV
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Lung Diseases
Meningoencephalitis
Mycobacterium
Mycobacterium avium

Figure

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  Figure 1 Gadolium-enhanced T1-weighted brain MRI showing a thick wall-enhancing cystic lesion (arrow) with surrounding edema in the right parietal lobe.

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  Figure 2 Serial contrast enhanced brain CT images. (A) Initial brain CT scan showed a ring enhancing cystic lesion with surrounding edema in the right parietal lobe. (B) Brain CT obtained 11 days after brain abscess drainage showed increased size of the ring-enhancing lesion with diffuse edema in the right parietal lobe. (C) Brain CT obtained 57 days after brain abscess drainage (after 14 days of anti-tuberculous therapy) showed decreased abscess and surrounding edema in the right parietal lobe.

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