title: Ovarian dermoid cyst super-infected with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus leading to the misdiagnosis of appendicitis in an adolescent.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mature cystic teratomas (dermoid cysts) are the most common ovarian tumor in adolescents. Super-infection of a dermoid cyst is a rare event usually associated with a concomitant infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 14-year-old female was transferred to our institution with five days of fevers and abdominal pain. CT of the abdomen/pelvis was read as acute appendicitis with a 7.6 cm right adnexal dermoid cyst. The patient was treated for appendicitis but later found to have an infected dermoid cyst primarily infected with methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus, which led the misdiagnosis of appendicitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Super-infection of an ovarian dermoid cyst is an extremely rare event. We recommend that previously described evaluation, surgical management, and ovarian conservation be employed in all cases of ovarian dermoid cysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Kyle C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Marc R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Laufer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003884:Dermoid Cyst / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D015163:Superinfection / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents