Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis in the absence of a neurosurgical device secondary to catheter-related bloodstream infection: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND

Staphylococcus epidermidis can cause nosocomial meningitis in the presence of prosthetic devices. We describe a case of Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis in a patient with neutropenia who had no intracranial foreign body, and we review the literature on meningitis that is caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. without a neurosurgical device.

METHODS

A 47-year-old Japanese man with acute myeloid leukemia receiving chemotherapy through a totally implantable central venous catheter developed fever and headache. The patient had a history of craniotomy for anaplastic oligodendroglioma without an indwelling neurosurgical device. The results of two blood cultures and a cerebrospinal fluid culture were positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis. Clinical improvement was observed with treatment with vancomycin and removal of the central venous catheter despite prolonged neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Staphylococcus epidermidis meningitis in a patient with neutropenia without a neurosurgical device who was successfully treated.