Citrobacter freundii Brain Abscess in a Preterm Infant: A Case Report and Literature Review

• Published in: Pediatrics and neonatology Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 137 - 140
• Main Authors: Plakkal, Nishad, Soraisham, Amuchou Singh, Amin, Harish
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-04-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Biological and medical sciences; brain abscess; Brain Abscess - diagnosis; Brain Abscess - etiology; Brain Abscess - therapy; Citrobacter; Citrobacter freundii; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - diagnosis; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - etiology; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - therapy; Female; General aspects; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Medical sciences; meningitis; Meningitis, Bacterial - diagnosis; Meningitis, Bacterial - etiology; Meningitis, Bacterial - therapy; Pediatrics; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; preterm; preterm; brain abscess; infant; Citrobacter freundii; meningitis; Human; Premature; Pediatrics; Nervous system diseases; Infant; Cerebral disorder; Infection; Case study; Prematurity; Central nervous system disease; Brain abscess; Bacteria; Tropical medicine; Meningitis; Bibliographic review; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 1875-9572; 2212-1692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2012.10.004

Intracranial abscesses are serious conditions but uncommon in preterm neonates. Citrobacter species are an uncommon cause of bacterial meningitis in neonates, but are associated with brain abscesses in a majority of cases. We report a preterm infant who developed Citrobacter freundii meningitis with brain abscess, who was successfully treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage. The infant had normal neurological outcome at follow-up. We report this case to highlight the importance of serial neuroimaging in the diagnosis of cerebral abscess in infants with Citrobacter meningitis.