Pneumocephalus Associated with Aggressive Pneumococcal Meningitis

Authors

• Isabel I Taveira Internal Medicine Department, Litoral Alentejano Hospital, Monte do Gilbardinho, Santiago do Cacém, Portugal
• Hipólito Nzwalo Internal Medicine Department, Litoral Alentejano Hospital, Monte do Gilbardinho, Santiago do Cacém, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
• José Sousa e Costa Internal Medicine Department, Litoral Alentejano Hospital, Monte do Gilbardinho, Santiago do Cacém, Portugal
• Pedro Moreira Intensive Care Unit, Litoral Alentejano Hospital, Monte do Gilbardinho, Santiago do Cacém, Portugal

isabeltaveira89@gmail.com

Keywords

Abstract

A 44-year-old woman presented with headache and delirium. Brain tomography indicated pneumocephalus, while blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures revealed Streptococcus pneumoniae. Despite antibiotic treatment and admission to the intensive care unit, the patient died 3 days later. Pneumocephalus in association with meningitis is very rare and may be caused by gas produced by microorganisms.