STAPHYLOCOCCAL CNS INFECTIONS

Twenty patients with staphylococcal CNS infection were recruited from 15 french centers. Patient mean age was 56 years and an underlying dis ease was present in 9 cases. Six patients had meningitis, 6 had mening oencephalitis, 5 had brain abscess, 2 had encephalitis, and 1 had subd ural empyema. CNS infection arised during, septicemia in 12 cases, end ocarditis in 5 cases, and following surgery in 3 cases. S. aureus was isolated in 18 cases and 5 isolates were methicillin-resistant. S. epi dermidis was isolated in 2 cases. All isolates were susceptible to gly copeptide antibiotics. Eight patients died within a mean of 11,4 days. Mortality was associated with age and underlying condition. Patients treated first with antistaphylococcal agents healed.