Microbiology of peritonsillar abscesses.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to analyze the microbiology of peritonsillar abscesses.


METHODS
Thirty patients, mean age 24,2 years, with peritonsillar abscesses underwent aspiration of at least 3 mL of pus, which was cultured for aerobes and anaerobes.


RESULTS
87% samples showed positive cultures. Aerobic or facultative aerobic bacteria were isolated from 23% aspirates, mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from 60%, and anaerobic bacteria from only 3% aspirate. A total of 69 bacterial isolates (34 aerobic and 35 anaerobic) were recovered. The most common aerobic isolate was Streptococcus sp, with Streptococcus pyogenes being identified in 23% of aspirates. The predominant anaerobic isolates were Prevotella sp and Peptostreptococcus sp. Patients had received previous antimicrobial therapy in 63% cases. In this group, 1.8 isolates per specimen were recovered, a lower number than in the untreated group (3.0 per specimen). No significant difference in the species isolated was observed between these two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Peritonsillar abscess is usually a polymicrobial infection, with predominance of anaerobic bacteria. The number of agents isolated was larger in patients not previously treated with antibiotics, but the use of antimicrobial drugs did not interfere with the type of bacterium isolated.
Sakae
Flavio Akira
FA
University Hospital, USP, Brazil. sakaeflavio@yahoo.com.br
Imamura
Rui
R
Sennes
Luiz Ubirajara
LU
Araújo Filho
Bernardo Cunha
BC
Tsuji
Domingos Hiroshi
DH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies