Intracranial bacterial infections in patients with AIDS.

Nontuberculous, nonsyphilitic intracranial bacterial infections in HIV-positive individuals may be nonspecific presentations of unusual organisms, such as R. equi, B. henselae, Nocardia sp. or L. monocytogenes. In addition, more common organisms, such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, or Salmonella sp. may cause an unusually severe infection. In general, the imaging appearance of these bacterial infections is similar to that in immunocompetent individuals.