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Rhodotorula rubra ventriculitis
F E Donald1, J F Sharp, J L Firth
1Department of Microbiology, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, U.K.
The Journal of Infection
|March 1, 1988
Summary
Post-operative ventriculitis, an infection of the brain's fluid-filled spaces, occurred in an immunocompetent patient due to Rhodotorula rubra. Successful treatment was achieved using antifungal medications.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Mycology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Post-operative ventriculitis is a rare but serious complication following neurosurgical procedures.
- Typical causative agents include bacteria, but fungal infections are increasingly recognized.
Observation:
- A case of ventriculitis in an immunocompetent patient is presented.
- The infection was caused by an unusual fungal organism, Rhodotorula rubra.
Findings:
- Rhodotorula rubra, a yeast, was identified as the causative agent of post-operative ventriculitis.
- The patient, despite being immunocompetent, developed this rare fungal brain infection.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for unusual fungal pathogens to cause central nervous system infections post-surgery.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate antifungal therapy are crucial for favorable outcomes in ventriculitis.
- Clinicians should consider a broader range of pathogens, including fungi like Rhodotorula rubra, in post-operative central nervous system infections.