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Enterococcus gallinarum meningitis: a case report and literature review

Fahmi Yousef Khan1, Sitina Shamsaldin Elshafi

  • 1Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar. fakhanqal@yahoo.co.uk

Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
|March 30, 2011
PubMed

Insights

This case study details Enterococcus gallinarum meningitis following surgery. Linezolid effectively treated the infection, leading to patient recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neuroscience
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Meningitis can occur post-neurosurgery.
  • Enterococcus gallinarum is an uncommon cause of meningitis.

Observation:

  • A 53-year-old female developed fever, headache, and altered consciousness post-craniotomy.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid analysis confirmed bacterial meningitis.
  • Enterococcus gallinarum was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid.

Findings:

  • The Enterococcus gallinarum isolate showed sensitivity to ampicillin, linezolid, and others, but intermediate sensitivity to vancomycin.
  • Intravenous linezolid treatment resulted in rapid clinical improvement and cerebrospinal fluid sterilization.
  • The patient completed a three-week course of linezolid and was discharged in good condition.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of identifying causative agents in post-neurosurgical meningitis.
  • Linezolid can be an effective treatment option for Enterococcus gallinarum meningitis, especially in cases with vancomycin intermediate sensitivity.
  • Further research into Enterococcus gallinarum meningitis is warranted.

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