[The development of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in a patient with herpes zoster during treatment with continuous epidural infusion].

A 79-year-old man with herpes zoster was referred to our hospital for pain control. He was a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and had a history of cerebral infarction and hypertension. A cervical epidural catheter was placed for continuous analgesic infusion. After 20 days of catheterization, he gradually developed a high fever and confusion, and complained of nausea and headaches. An urgent blood examination revealed a white blood cell count of 15,200 mm-3 and a C-reactive protein of 32.4 mg.dl-1. The catheter was removed and antibiotic therapy was started. Repeated magnetic resonance imaging could not confirm epidural abscess formation. The bacterial culture of the cerebrospinal fluid was negative, but the cultures of the blood, the catheter tip, and the nasal cavity swab were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Although intravenous vancomycin was administered, systemic inflammation persisted. The patient consecutively suffered varied disorders such as acute renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Although symptomatic treatment had been prolonging his life, 58 days after the catheter removal, the patient suddenly developed cerebellopontine infarction, which made mechanical ventilation necessary. He remained unconscious until his death 117 days after the catheter removal. We discussed the possible pathogenetic mechanisms of the present case.