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Cerebellar abscess by Gemella morbillorum in a patient with inter-atrial communication

Armando Lopes1, Rui Providencia, Rui Pedro Pais

  • 1Centro de Neurocirurgia de Coimbra, Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra, Portugal. fereschaddad@hotmail.com

Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
|December 21, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Gemella morbillorum, typically a harmless bacteria, can cause rare brain infections. This case highlights a cerebellar abscess caused by this bacterium in a patient with a heart condition.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Gemella morbillorum is a commensal bacterium residing in various human body sites.
  • Infections caused by Gemella morbillorum are infrequent, with cerebral abscesses being exceptionally rare.

Observation:

  • A 50-year-old male patient presented with a cerebellar abscess.
  • The patient had an inter-atrial communication, a congenital heart defect.

Findings:

  • The cerebellar abscess was successfully treated with surgical excision and antimicrobial therapy.
  • This case adds to the limited literature on Gemella morbillorum-induced cerebral abscesses, with only four prior reports.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the potential for commensal bacteria like Gemella morbillorum to cause severe infections in specific clinical contexts.
  • Highlights the importance of considering rare pathogens in the differential diagnosis of brain abscesses, especially in immunocompromised or medically complex patients.

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