72-year-old man with right homonymous hemianopia and gait instability.

An elderly man presented with right homonymous hemianopia and gait instability. He was found to have a left occipital ring enhancing lesion that was resected. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated a Cladophialophora bantiana brain abscess (cerebral phaeohyphomycosis).

Under the radar: balamuthia amebic encephalitis.

Background: We present data from 9 years (1999-2008) of tests for Balamuthia mandrillaris, an agent of amebic encephalitis that were conducted as part of the California Encephalitis Project.

Methods: Specimens obtained from patients with encephalitis were sent to the California Encephalitis Project for diagnostic testing; a subset of these specimens were tested for Balamuthia species. Tests included indirect immunofluorescent staining of sections for amebae, fluorescent antibody staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serum titers, and polymerase chain reaction for Balamuthia 16S mitochondrial DNA.

Fluconazole-induced congenital anomalies in three infants.

Fluconazole has been associated with various teratisms in animals, including craniofacial ossification defects, thin, wavy ribs, and renal pelvis defects. We describe three infants born to women who were receiving fluconazole through or beyond the first trimester of pregnancy. All of the infants had congenital anomalies; no other drug was implicated.

Comparison of in vitro susceptibilities of Bacteroides and Fusobacterium species in inland southern California to published patterns as a guide to empiric therapy.

Anaerobic bacteria, particularly the Bacteroides group, are becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobials. Anaerobic susceptibility testing is often not done routinely in clinical laboratories, causing clinicians to depend on national survey results or susceptibility patterns published by different centers. In this study, we have determined anaerobic susceptibility patterns of 200 clinical isolates of anaerobic gram-negative bacilli from four hospitals in the inland countries of southern California (Inland Empire).