title: Actinomyces meyeri brain abscess following dental extraction.
abstract: We describe the rare occurrence of an Actinomyces meyeri cerebral abscess in a 55-year-old woman following a dental extraction. This patient presented with a 2-day history of hemisensory loss, hyper-reflexia and retro-orbital headache, 7 days following a dental extraction for apical peridonitis. Neuroimaging showed a large left parietal abscess with surrounding empyema. The patient underwent craniotomy and drainage of the abscess. A. meyeri was cultured. Actinomycosis is a rare cause of cerebral abscess. The A. meyeri subtype is particularly rare, accounting for less than 1% of specimens. This case describes an unusually brief course of the disease, which is usually insidious. Parietal lobe involvement is unusual as cerebral abscesses usually have a predilection for the frontal and temporal regions of the brain. Although there are no randomised trials to guide therapy, current consensus is to use a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics, followed by 6-12 months of oral therapy.
authors: Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Clancy
authors: Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ronayne
authors: Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Prentice
authors: Cork University Hospital/Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents