An unusual mechanism for brain abscess formation in a child.
BACKGROUND
Intracranial infection is an uncommon but serious complication of head injury.


METHODS
This study describes a boy with a traumatic head injury caused by his mother's teeth stemming from a traffic accident, without initial alteration of consciousness or focal neurological signs, who subsequently developed an occipital lobe abscess 3 weeks later. Brain abscess culturing yielded human oral flora. To date, our case is the only report documenting skull fracture with subsequent brain abscess formation caused by human oral flora stemming from traumatic injury from his mother's teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
A high index of suspicion should be maintained, and early imaging such as computed tomography should be considered for patients with symptoms of intracranial infection or who are at high risk, even after a minor head injury. Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy based on knowledge of the causative microbes, and surgery are the major prognostic factors for brain abscess.
Chang
Yu-Ching
YC
Division of Pediatric Neurology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, #5 Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Lee
Jiun-Chang
JC
Lin
Kuang-Lin
KL
Wu
Chieh-Tsai
CT
Mun-Ching Wong
Alex
A