Citrobacter Meningoencephalitis
Case Detail
Anatomy: Brain-Spine |
![]() Joseph Junewick, MD FACR |
Diagnostic Category: Infectious-Inflammatory |
|
Created: about 1 year ago |
|
Updated: about 1 year ago |
|
Tags:
Pets
|
|
Modality/Study Types:
US
MR
|
|
Activities: ![]() ![]() |
History
5 week old with fever, leukocytosis and “full” fontanelle
Case Images
Diagnosis
Citrobacter meningoencephalitis
Findings
US – Coronal high resolution anterior image reveals echogenic intraventricular CSF. Sagittal and coronal images show circumscribed left frontal abscess with fluid/debris level.
MR – Axial post-gadolinium T2 FLAIR and diffusion/ADC
Clinical – CSF and abscess specimens
Discussion
Citrobacter is a facultative anaerobic gram negative bacillus found in the intestinal tract and an exceedingly rare form of meningoencephalitis. Vertical transmission during the birth process is suspected but the source of infection cannot be identified in most cases. Citrobacter is the most common etiology for a brain abscess in a neonate; brain abscesses occur in 75% of patients with Citrobacter meningitis. Significant short-term and long-term neurological complications can be expected.
Reference
Meier A, Chusid MJ, Sty JR. Neonatal Citrobacter Meningitis: Neurosonographic Observations. J Ultrasound Med (1998); 17:399–401.
Contributor
Jordan Whatley, MD