Nocardia Ventriculitis: A Rare Case Report

Ventriculitis caused by <i>Nocardia</i> spp. is a rare infection of the central nervous system. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ventriculitis caused by <i>Nocardia otitidiscaviarum</i>. We present a 64-year-old woman admitted with confusion and malaise. Neuroimaging revealed marked enlargement and contrast enhancement of the left choroid plexus, suggestive of ventriculitis. Culture from surgical drainage confirmed <i>N. otitidiscaviarum</i>. Empirical antibiotic therapy, including trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, was initiated and later adjusted based on susceptibility testing results. However, during follow-up, the patient died from septic shock due to <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> bacteremia. <i>Nocardia</i>-associated ventriculitis has a high mortality rate. Early diagnosis, timely surgical intervention, and appropriate antibiotics are essential for improving clinical outcomes.