title: An unnoticed origin of fever: periapical tooth abscess. Three case reports and literature review.
abstract: Dental infections may lead to severe local or systemic infections such as endocarditis, brain abscesses and mediastinitis. Fever may be the only symptom. We aim to highlight dental/odontogenic abscesses as the occult source of unexplained fever by reporting on three cases and reviewing the relevant literature. Early dental evaluation and referral of patients with persistent fever (even without any oral symptoms) to a dentist plays a critical role in preventing unnecessary, time-consuming and high-cost further diagnostic tests and invasive procedures. A simple panoramic dental radiography may suffice to establish the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul Medipol University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Van Military Hospital, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ergenekon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karagöz
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Esenyurt State Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Birsen Yigit
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Istanbul Medipol University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016896:Treatment Outcome