Infective Endocarditis Leading to Intracranial Abscess: A Case Report and Literature Review

Neurologic complications are a hallmark of infective endocarditis (IE). IE leading to intracranial abscess has an unfavorable prognosis. A 17-year-old boy with a past medical history of aortic valve replacement presented with fever and seizure. On examination, he had tachycardia, systolic murmur, slurred speech, meningeal signs, and right homonymous hemianopia. His laboratory analysis revealed an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. The brain's magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple ring-enhancing lesions in the frontal, occipital lobe, and occipitotemporal lobe, consistent with intracranial abscess. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a mobile mass adjacent to aortic value, consistent with possible infective vegetation. He was diagnosed with multiple cerebral septic emboli leading to intracranial abscess due to IE. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid culture revealed methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus growth. He was started on intravenous nafcillin and gentamycin. His condition improved gradually, and he became afebrile on hospital day four. On his recent follow-up, he was doing well.