Multiple Intracranial Nocardia brevicatena Abscesses in a Patient with a Previous History of Tuberculosis: A Case...

Nocardia brevicatena (N. brevicatena) is an uncommon cause of brain infections, frequently mistaken for intracranial tuberculosis, especially in patients with a tuberculosis (TB) history, leading to improper treatment. This case report outlines the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient with multiple brain abscesses from N. brevicatena after laryngeal TB, highlighting the importance of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for accurate diagnosis.

This report details a 55-year-old man with a history of TB. Symptoms included dizziness, headache, and unsteady gait, with MRI revealing brain nodules and edema. He initially received anti-TB treatment, but it was ineffective. NGS identified N. brevicatena, and TB tests were negative. He was treated with anti-Nocardia drugs (compound sulfamethoxazole tablets (0.96 g, orally twice daily), amikacin sulfate injection (0.6 g, once daily), and imipenem-cilastatin sodium (0.5 g, every 6 hours)), leading to symptom improvement and MRI changes. Symptoms worsened when treatment was paused but resolved within a week of resuming therapy, following 45 days of treatment, the patient fulfilled the discharge criteria. After seven months, the patient fully recovered with normal MRI results.

Intracranial N. brevicatena infections are frequently misdiagnosed as TB in patients with a TB history. NGS of blood or cerebrospinal fluid accurately detects pathogens, and TB Xpert helps rule out TB. Both are crucial for targeted treatment and better patient outcomes.