Brain abscess associated with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans: case report and review of literature

A selection of abstracts of clinically relevant papers from other journals. The abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by John R. Radford.

Abstract

An association between the oral bacterial species Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and systemic infection.

Main

Rahamat-Langendoen JC, van Vonderen MGA et al. J Clin Periodontol–2011; 38: 702 706

This case report describes a 42-year-old hospitalised patient with multiple brain abscesses. There was no underlying medical condition. Conventional microbiological culture was negative although subsequent 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (gene amplification) and sequence analysis showed that Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was the causative agent. Treatment consisted of repeated drainage of the brain abscesses and antimicrobial therapy and subsequent extraction of hopeless teeth. The authors stated that the antimicrobial regimen was somewhat empirical. Nevertheless, it included ceftriaxone, a third generation cephalosporin, for which A. actinomycetemcomitans is susceptible. As no other focus of infection could be found, the patient's poor dental health was considered the source.