A variant epidemic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-15 cavernous sinus thrombosis and meningitis: A rare occurrence with unusual presentation.

ABSTRACT

Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is an uncommon clinical syndrome. Although Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus) is the most common bacterial pathogen causing CST, it is infrequent as a cause of meningitis. We report the first case of CST and meningitis from Bengaluru, Karnataka, caused by community-acquired epidemic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-15 (EMRSA-15), in a previously healthy individual without known risk factors; the patient recovered following treatment with vancomycin. The isolate was genotyped as belonging to staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type IV and sequence type 22 and carried the panton-valentine leucocidin gene. It is the first Indian EMRSA-15 disease isolate from a case of meningitis. EMRSA-15 has been a major problem in hospitals in UK and it is a cause for great concern in Indian hospitals too.