BMC research notes
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Review Case Reports
Acute cerebellitis in adults: a case report and review of the literature.
Acute cerebellitis is a rare disease with the majority of cases described in children. Little is known about the clinical characteristics and outcome in adults. ⋯ Acute cerebellitis in adults is a rare disorder which mainly presents with headache, nausea/vomiting and ataxia. To diagnose cerebellitis, imaging of the brain (preferably MRI) is required and CSF examination may be necessary to narrow the differential diagnosis. The treatment depends on the widely diverse etiology, and treatment with steroids is recommended in the case of cerebellar oedema and hydrocephalus. Neurosurgical intervention may be necessary to prevent brain herniation.
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Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) due to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a rare disease with significant mortality and morbidity. With the emerging resistance and adverse effect profile of vancomycin which is the standard treatment, there is a compelling necessity of an effective alternative for vancomycin. Linezolid is proved as such an agent for infections caused by MRSA in other sites. However to-date the evidence for successful use of linezolid for MRSA prosthetic valve endocarditis is limited only for few case studies. We here present the third case reported as effective treatment of PVE by MRSA with linezolid and probably the first case reported with successful treatment with linezolid in a patient with multiple complications who is a candidate for surgery in standard guidelines. ⋯ Linezolid can be considered as a good option for treating PVE by MRSA infections who are not responding to vancomycin and may negate the need for a surgery in patients awaiting an early surgery. Further studies including randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the efficacy of linezolid in PVE due to MRSA.