[A cerebellar abscess caused by anaerobic and aerobic (mixed) microorganisms]

A 15 year old boy was admitted to hospital with five days history of fever, headache, vomiting and otorrhea. Findings on physical examination included high fever, purulent drainage from right ear, nuchal rigidity, Brudzinski's and Kernig's signs. Laboratory finding was polymorphonuclear leukocytosis. Computerized tomography (CT) of his brain was normal. A lumbar puncture disclosed purulent CSF. Chloramphenicol and Penicillin G were given intravenously as treatment for the meningitis. After five days of this therapy he continued to be febrile and nuchal rigidity, Brudzinski's and Kerning's signs increased. The second CT demonstrated the presence of an abscess in the cerebellum. The abscess was aspirated during mastoidectomy. In the cultures of the aspiration material Bacteroides species and gram positive micrococci grew out. Metronidazole, 500 mg qid per oral, was added to the therapy. During treatment, his condition was evaluated with serial computerized tomography scans of his brain and these studies showed progressive decrease in the size of the lesion. Metronidazole and antibiotics therapies were continued 45 days. The patient made an uneventful recovery.