Pneumococcal meningitis, cerebral venous thrombosis, and cervical arterial dissection: a run of bad luck?

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcal meningitis in adults is widely associated with intracranial complications, which occur in up to 74.7% of the patients.

METHOD: Case report.

RESULTS

We report the case of a 40-year-old white female with pneumococcal meningitis after a sinus surgery, who developed a concomitant cerebral venous thrombosis and multiple cervical artery dissections. Following treatment with antibiotics and intravenous heparin, she had complete neurological recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular complications should always be remembered and adequately treated in patients with bacterial meningitis. Cervical arterial dissections should be investigated as potential embolic sources of intracranial ischemic lesions.