To the Editor.—
Although brain abscesses may be caused by a large variety of organisms, Haemophilus aphrophilus has only rarely been implicated.1 We have recently encountered a second patient at our institution in whom this organism was the predominant organism in a brain abscess; both patients had associated pulmonary arteriovenous malformations.2
Report of a Case.—
A comatose 61-yearold woman was admitted to the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City, for evaluation and therapy for a left parietal lobe lesion demonstrated by computerized tomography (CT). Therapy with methicillin sodium, chloramphenicol, and dexamethasone was initiated and an intracerebral abscess was aspirated through a left craniotomy. Cultures indicated that H aphrophilus was the predominate organism; small numbers of nonhemolytic streptococci and corynebacteria were also present. The organism was sensitive in vitro to ampicillin sodium, with which the patient was treated for ten weeks. Her neurologic abnormalities cleared up completely and, within