Successful treatment of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus meningitis with linezolid: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To describe the successful treatment of a case of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus meningitis with linezolid.

Design: Case report and review of the literature.

Patients: The patient is a 35-yr-old man who suffered a cerebellar hemorrhage after embolization of a cerebellar arteriovenous malformation. The patient underwent ventriculostomy drainage and craniectomy. The patient was on broad-spectrum antibiotics for pneumonia including vancomycin. The patient remained febrile and grew vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from the cerebrospinal fluid.

Interventions: The patient was treated with intravenous chloramphenicol without success. On postoperative day 16, the patient was begun on intravenous linezolid.

Main results: The patient received 4 wks of intravenous linezolid with complete eradication of the meningitis.

Conclusions: Intravenous linezolid appears to be a safe and effective therapy for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus meningitis.