[A case of multiple brain abscess effectively markedly responded to high dose panipenem/betamipron administration]

A 54-year-old, previously healthy female experienced headache, nausea and vomiting, and consulted our hospital regarding her symptoms. Her cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed leukocytosis with polymorphonucleosis and hypoglycemia, thus she was diagnosed with bacterial. She admitted to our hospital and combination therapy of ampicillin and cefotaxime was started. CSF and blood cultures was negative. On the third hospital day, despite a decrease in her CSF cell count, her consciousness level decreased and neck stiffness worsened. On the seventh hospital day, the CSF cell count increased again, and we changed antibiotics to panipenem/betamipron (PAPM/BP) at 4 g/day. On the tenth hospital day, the CSF cell count decreased, but by the twelfth hospital day her consciousness had deteriorated to a drowsy state. Brain CT and MRI revealed multiple brain abscesses and hydrocephalus. We increased the dose of PAPM/BP up to 8 g/day, and her neurological, CSF and brain MRI findings subsequently improved. The patient was discharged from our hospital on the sixty-ninth hospital day. As the frequency of beta-lactamase-producing bacteria is currently increasing, carbapenems should be considered as first choice of antibiotics for the initial treatment of multiple brain abscess.