Abstract
Background: Brain abscesses caused by Nocardia spp. are rare, but life-threatening infections that are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat and which occur mainly in immunocompromised patients. Standard treatment guidelines are ot available.
Methods: A systematic search for nocardial brain abscesses from 1992 to 1999 was conducted in Switzerland for the comparison of clinical presentation, treatment strategies and outcome.
Results: Seven cases were found, for which data of six were available. In 4/6 patients antimicrobial therapy led to a decrease in the size of abscesses. Four of six patients died. The cause of death was likely due to underlying comorbidities, rather than the nocardial infection.
Conclusion: The finding that treatment was different in each case underscores the lack of therapeutic guidelines.
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Received: September 12, 2000 · Revision accepted: September 13, 2001
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Loeffler, J., Bodmer, T., Zimmerli, W. et al. Nocardial Brain Abscess: Observation of Treatment Strategies and Outcome in Switzerland from 1992 to 1999. Infection 29, 337–341 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-001-1147-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-001-1147-1