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Multiple Fusarium brain abscesses in a young child
Madhivanan Karthigeyan1, Kavindra Singh2, Harsimran Kaur3
1Department of Neurosurgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Madhya Marg, Sector 12, Chandigarh, 160012, India. karthigeyanm82@gmail.com.
Summary
A rare Fusarium brain abscess occurred in a 6-year-old boy with tuberculous meningitis. This case highlights unusual central nervous system fungal infections in immunocompromised children.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Intracranial fungal infections are rare, primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals.
- Fusarium species, typically plant pathogens, infrequently cause human infections, particularly brain abscesses.
Observation:
- A 6-year-old boy with tuberculous meningitis developed multiple Fusarium brain abscesses caused by Fusarium falciforme.
- The patient's immunocompromised state, secondary to tuberculous meningitis, is presumed to be the predisposing factor.
Findings:
- This is the second reported case of an isolated Fusarium abscess in a pediatric patient and the first in a young child.
- Aggressive treatment with antifungal agents (amphotericin B, voriconazole, terbinafine) and abscess drainage did not result in neurological recovery.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering unusual fungal pathogens, such as Fusarium, in the differential diagnosis of central nervous system infections in immunocompromised pediatric patients.
- The findings emphasize the challenges in managing rare fungal brain infections in children and the need for heightened awareness of this unusual infectious spectrum.
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