Oral bacterial cultures in nontraumatic brain abscesses: results of a first-line study.
OBJECTIVE
Bacterial cultures from nontraumatic brain abscesses (BAs) frequently contain oral bacteria. We assessed bacterial cultures from BAs and oral infective sources for a bacterial match.


METHODS
Bacterial samples from brain abscesses and oral abscesses, and at sites with probing depths >or=3.5 mm were taken from 11 nontraumatic BA patients and analyzed.


RESULTS
Brain abscess bacterial cultures were obtained in 9 of the 11 cases, which revealed 5 cases of Streptococcus milleri group bacteria and 4 cases of subgingival flora. The bacteriologic results were interpreted taking all medical and bacteriologic findings into account, which made an oral origin of the BAs most likely in 6 of the 11 cases: from an oral abscess and from the subgingival flora in 3 cases each.


CONCLUSIONS
Early collaboration between neurosurgeons, infectious disease specialists, and oral-maxillofacial surgeons will aid the identification and treatment of suspected oral sources of nontraumatic BAs.
Mueller
Andreas Albert
AA
Division of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Clinic for Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. anmueller@uhbs.ch
Saldamli
Belma
B
Stübinger
Stefan
S
Walter
Clemens
C
Flückiger
Ursüla
U
Merlo
Adrian
A
Schwenzer-Zimmerer
Katja
K
Zeilhofer
Hans-Florian
HF
Zimmerer
Stephan
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010508:Periodontal Abscess / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D034364:Streptococcus milleri Group / Q000302:isolation & purification*