Cobo F, Martin-Hita L, Navarro-Marí JM. Brain abscesses caused by anaerobic bacteria.
Anaerobe 2022;
76:102614. [PMID:
35843460 DOI:
10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102614]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study was to review the characteristics, causative bacteria, treatment and outcomes of brain abscesses due to anaerobes in our health setting.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis of all brain abscesses caused by anaerobic bacteria over the period 2005-2021 was performed.
RESULTS
Out of 300 brain abscesses identified during the study period, 31 were produced by anaerobic pathogens, either alone (monomicrobial infection) or together with aerobic and/or anaerobic bacteria (polymicrobial infection). The mean age of the 31 patients was 53 years, and 61.2% were male; 51.6% of infections were polymicrobial, with only four (12.9%) caused by anaerobic bacteria alone. Forty-three anaerobic bacteria were isolated: Cutibacterium acnes in thirteen (41.9%), Parvimonas micra in eight (25.8%), and Prevotella spp. in seven (22.5%). The most frequent etiologies were local neurosurgery (13/41.9%) and contiguous otogenic, oral, or sinus foci of infection (8/28.8%). Cancer was present in eight patients (28.8%), headaches in seventeen (54.8%), and fever in nine (28.8%). All patients received both surgery and antimicrobial therapy. The abscess was in the frontal region in 12 patients (38.7%) and in the parietal region in 11 (35.4%). A good outcome was obtained in all patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Anaerobes were isolated in 10.3% of patients with brain abscesses in our health setting, similar to other reports. C. acnes was the most frequently detected anaerobe, especially in neurosurgical patients.
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