A rare case of brain abscess following professional dental cleaning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25753/BirthGrowthMJ.v33.i4.31033Keywords:
adolescent, brain abscess, headache, streptococcal infection, toothAbstract
Brain abscess is a rare infection of the central nervous system in childhood. The clinical presentation is usually nonspecific, making its diagnosis challenging. The etiology is varied. Less invasive oral procedures are a rare potential cause of hematogenous dissemination of microorganisms to the brain.
Herein is presented the case of an adolescent who presented to the Emergency Department with complaints of headache three weeks after a professional dental cleaning. A brain abscess was diagnosed and Streptococcus viridans, usually associated with oral mucosal infections, was isolated. The boy was successfully treated with needle aspiration of the abscess and a six-week course of antibiotic therapy.
This case highlights the importance of improving knowledge of this entity to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Downloads
References
Mameli C, Genoni T, Madia C, Doneda C, Penagini F, Zuccotti G. Brain abscess in pediatric age: a review. Childs Nerv Syst. 2019;35(7):1117-28. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-019-04182-4. Epub 2019 May 6. PMID: 31062139.
Sonneville R, Ruimy R, Benzonana N, Riffaud L, Carsin A, Tadié JM, et al; ESCMID Study Group for Infectious Diseases of the Brain (ESGIB). An update on bacterial brain abscess in immunocompetent patients. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017;23(9):614-20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2017.05.004. Epub 2017 May 10. PMID: 28501669.
Krzysztofiak A, Zangari P, De Luca M, Villani A. Brain abscesses: an overview in children. Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 2017, 14.01: 002-005. doi: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0037-1615786.
Moazzam AA, Rajagopal SM, Sedghizadeh PP, Zada G, Habibian M. Intracranial bacterial infections of oral origin. J Clin Neurosci. 2015;22(5):800-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2014.11.015. Epub 2015 Mar 21. PMID: 25800939.
Alvis Miranda H, Castellar-Leones SM, Elzain MA, Moscote-Salazar LR. Brain abscess: Current management. J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2013;4(Suppl 1):S67-81. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-3147.116472. PMID: 24174804; PMCID: PMC3808066.
Laulajainen-Hongisto A, Lempinen L, Färkkilä E, Saat R, Markkola A, Leskinen K, et al. Intracranial abscesses over the last four decades; changes in aetiology, diagnostics, treatment and outcome. Infect Dis (Lond). 2016;48(4):310-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.3109/23744235.2015.1113557. Epub 2015 Nov 23. PMID: 26592421.
Mohammadi H, Sadeghi S, Zandi S. Central Nervous System Aspergilloma in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report. Iran J Public Health. 2015 ;44(6):869-72. PMID: 26258101.
Vijayakumar B, Sarin K, Mohan G. Tuberculous brain abscess and subdural empyema in an immunocompetent child: Significance of AFB staining in aspirated pus. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(2):130-3. PMID: 22566728.
Britton PN, Chaseling R. Brain abscess in a recent immigrant. J Paediatr Child Health. 2013 Mar;49(3).PMID: 23252509.
Fernández PB, Suárez JP, Messing-Jünger AM. Case-based update: primary intraventricular brain abscess in a 10-year-old child. Childs Nerv Syst. 2015;31(12):2235-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2856-6. Epub 2015 Aug 18. PMID: 26280627.
Viviano M, Cocca S. Multiple brain abscesses after professional tooth cleaning: Case report and literature review. J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2018;119(5):432-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jormas.2018.04.016. Epub 2018 May 7. PMID: 29747055.
Pallesen LP, Schaefer J, Reuner U, Leonhardt H, Engellandt K, Schneider H, et al. Multiple brain abscesses in an immunocompetent patient after undergoing professional tooth cleaning. J Am Dent Assoc. 2014;145(6):564-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.14219/jada.2014.20. PMID: 24878711.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lisa Soares
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All articles published in the Birth and Growth Medical Journal are Open Access and meet the requirements of funding agencies and academic institutions. Third-party use of published content is permitted under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) license. It is the responsibility of authors to obtain permission for reproducing figures, tables, or other materials from previously published works.
Authors must submit a Conflict of Interest statement and an Authorship Form together with their manuscript. A confirmation email will be sent to the corresponding author upon receipt of the submission. Authors are also permitted to deposit their articles in institutional or personal repositories, provided that the original publication in the Birth and Growth Medical Journal is clearly indicated and the terms of the Creative Commons license are respected.
