title: Bacteriology of dentoalveolar abscesses in patients who have received empirical antibiotic therapy.
abstract: We investigated aspirates of pus from dentoalveolar abscesses in 13 patients who had received empirical antibiotic therapy within 1 month before presentation at our facility. The antibiotics administered were lincomycin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, or a cephalosporin. Information on antibiotic therapy was obtained from the patients' medical histories. Cultures of all dentoalveolar abscesses yielded organisms. A total of 70 isolates (42 anaerobes and 28 facultative organisms) were recovered, representing 5.3 isolates (3.2 anaerobes and 2.1 facultative organisms) per specimen. The counts of bacteria ranged from 5 X 10(7) cfu/mL to 8 X 10(11) cfu/mL (mean count, 1.4 X 10(11) cfu/mL; median count, 2.3 X 10(10) cfu/mL). The predominant isolates were Prevotella species (25.7% of isolates), Peptostreptococcus species (17.1%), and Streptococcus species (14.2%). This study illustrates the polymicrobial nature of dentoalveolar abscesses as well as the predominant role played by anaerobic bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Külekçi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inanç
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kasapoglu
authors.forename: O Z
authors.initials: OZ
authors.lastname: Gümrü
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010462:Peptostreptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D018720:Prevotella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents