Cerebral tuberculoma 11 years after renal transplantation

A case of cerebral tuberculoma in a 39-year-old patient who had received a renal graft from a living related donor 11 years previously is reported. The patient had a major seizure, progressive psychiatric signs and fever 5 days prior to admission. The clinical history suggested a neurological cause and rapid diagnosis of a cerebral tuberculoma was made by a computed tomography-guided stereotactic puncture of a space-occupying cerebral lesion. The aspirated pus contained Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Anti-tuberculous therapy with isoniacid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyracinamide was administered. Transplant function deteriorated and the patient died due to intractable septicemia with multiorgan failure from pulmonary infection dissemination and additional urinary tract infection with atypical mycobacteria. The chance for a benign clinical course necessitates vigorous procedures for an early diagnosis of cerebral infections in renal transplant recipients with neurological/psychiatric signs.