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February 1987, Vol 141, No. 2 >
Article | February 1987

Microbiology of Retropharyngeal Abscesses in Children FREE

Itzhak Brook, MD, MSc
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication Aug 12, 1986.

The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private ones of the writers and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large.

Reprint requests to Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20814-5145 (Dr Brook).


Am J Dis Child. 1987;141(2):202-204. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1987.04460020092034.
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• Aspiration of retropharyngeal abscesses was performed in 14 children. Cultures were taken from aspirates for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and all yielded bacterial growth. Anaerobes were isolated in all patients; they were the only organisms isolated in two patients (14%) and were mixed with aerobes in 12 patients (86%). There were 78 anaerobic isolates (5.6 per specimen). The predominant anaerobes were Bacteroides species, Peptostreptococcus species, and Fusobacterium species. There were 26 aerobic isolates (1.9 per specimen). The predominant aerobes were α- and γ-hemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus species, and group A β-hemolytic streptococci. β-Lactamase production was noted in 16 isolates recovered from ten patients (71%). These included all isolates of S aureus, six of 18 Bacteroides melaninogenicus group (33%), and two of three Bacteroides oralis (67%). These findings demonstrate the major role of anaerobic organisms in retropharyngeal abscesses and the presence of β-lactamase–producing organisms in two thirds of the patients.

(AJDC 1987;141:202-204)

REFERENCES

1 +
Finegold SM: Anaerobic Bacteria in Human Disease . Orlando, Fla, Academic Press Inc, 1977;, pp 153-155.
2 +
Sutter VL, Vargo VL, Finegold SM: Wadsworth Anaerobic Bacteriology Manual , ed 2. Los Angeles, UCLA Extension Division, 1975;.
3 +
Lennette EH, Spaulding EH, Truant JR: Manual of Clinical Microbiology , ed 2. Washington, DC, American Society for Microbiology, 1974;.
4 +
O'Callaghan CH, Morris A, Kirby SM, et al:  Novel method for detection of beta-lactamase by using a chromogenic cephalosporin substrate . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1972;;1:283-288.
5 +
Flodstrom A, Hollander HO:  Microbiological aspects of peritonsillar abscesses . Scand J Infect Dis 1976;;8:157-160.
6 +
Brook I:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of peritonsillar abscess in children . Acta Paediatr Scand 1981;;70:831-835.
7 +
Brook I, Finegold SM:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of cutaneous abscesses in children . Pediatrics 1981;;67:891-895.
8 +
Brook I, Finegold SM:  Bacteriology of chronic otitis media . JAMA 1979;;241:487-488.
9 +
Brook I:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of chronic mastoiditis in children . AJDC 1981;; 135:479-480.
10 +
Brook I:  Bacteriological features of chronic sinusitis in children . JAMA 1981;;246:540-547.
11 +
Socransky SS, Manganiello SD:  The oral microbiota of man from birth to senility . J Pediodontal 1971;;42:485-496.
12 +
Myerson MC:  Anaerobic retropharyngeal abscess . Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1932;;41: 805-819.
13 +
Prevot AR: Biologies des malodies dues aux anaerobies . Paris, Editions Medicales, Flammarion, 1955;.
14 +
Ernst O:  Zur bedetung des Bacteroides funduliformis als infektions-errerger . Z Hyg 1951;;132:352-355.
15 +
Janecka IP, Rankow RM:  Fatal mediastinitis following retropharyngeal abscess . Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1971;;93:630-663.
16 +
Heinrich S, Pulverer G:  Uber den Nachweis des Bacteroides melaninogenicus in Krankheitsprozessen bei Mensch und Tier . Z Hyg 1960;; 146:331-336.
17 +
Meleney FL:  Bacterial synergy in disease processes . Ann Surg 1931;;22:961-981.
18 +
Altemeier WA:  The pathogenicity of the bacteria of appendicitis . Surgery 1942;;11:374-378.
19 +
Meleney FL, Olpp S, Harvey HD, et al:  Peritonitis: II. Synergism of bacteria commonly found in peritoneal exudates . Arch Surg 1932;;25: 709-721.
20 +
Hite KE, Locke M, Hesseltine HC:  Synergism in experimental infections with nonsporulating anaerobic bacteria . J Infect Dis 1949;;84: 1-9.
21 +
Brook I, Hunter V, Walker RI:  Synergistic effects of anaerobic cocci, Bacteroides, Clostridia, Fusobacteria, and aerobic bacteria on mouse and induction of substances abscess . J Infect Dis 1984;;149:924-928.
22 +
Ingham HR, Tharagonnet D, Sisson PR:  Inhibition of phagocytosis in vitro by obligate anaerobes . Lancet 1977;;1:252-254.
23 +
Lev M, Krudell KC, Milford AF:  Succinate as a growth factor for Bacteroides melaninogenicus . J Bacteriol 1971;;108:175-178.
24 +
Mergenhagen SE, Thonard JC, Scherp HW:  Studies on synergistic infection: I. Experimental infection with anaerobic streptococci . J Infect Dis 1958;;103:33-44.
25 +
Brook I:  The role of beta-lactamase—producing bacteria in the persistence of streptococcal tonsillar infection . Rev Infect Dis 1984;;6:601-607.
26 +
Nord CE, Lindqvist L, Olsson-Liljequist B, et al:  Beta-lactamase in anaerobic bacteria . Scand J Infect Dis 1985;;46( (suppl) ):57-63.
27 +
Brook I, Calhoun L, Yocum P:  Beta-lactamase—producing isolates of Bacteroides species from children . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1984;;18:164-166.
28 +
Brook I, Gober AE:  Emergence of betalactamase—producing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the oropharynx of children following penicillin . Clin Pediatr 1984;;23:338-341.
29 +
Heimdahl A, Von Konow L, Nord CE:  Isolations of beta-lactamase-producing Bacteroides strains associated with clinical failures with penicillin treatment of human orofacial infections . Arch Oral Biol 1980;;25:689-692.
30 +
Brook I:  Beta-lactamase-producing bacteria recovered after clinical failures with various penicillin therapy . Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1984;;110:228-231.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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References

1 +
Finegold SM: Anaerobic Bacteria in Human Disease . Orlando, Fla, Academic Press Inc, 1977;, pp 153-155.
2 +
Sutter VL, Vargo VL, Finegold SM: Wadsworth Anaerobic Bacteriology Manual , ed 2. Los Angeles, UCLA Extension Division, 1975;.
3 +
Lennette EH, Spaulding EH, Truant JR: Manual of Clinical Microbiology , ed 2. Washington, DC, American Society for Microbiology, 1974;.
4 +
O'Callaghan CH, Morris A, Kirby SM, et al:  Novel method for detection of beta-lactamase by using a chromogenic cephalosporin substrate . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1972;;1:283-288.
5 +
Flodstrom A, Hollander HO:  Microbiological aspects of peritonsillar abscesses . Scand J Infect Dis 1976;;8:157-160.
6 +
Brook I:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of peritonsillar abscess in children . Acta Paediatr Scand 1981;;70:831-835.
7 +
Brook I, Finegold SM:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of cutaneous abscesses in children . Pediatrics 1981;;67:891-895.
8 +
Brook I, Finegold SM:  Bacteriology of chronic otitis media . JAMA 1979;;241:487-488.
9 +
Brook I:  Aerobic and anaerobic bacteriology of chronic mastoiditis in children . AJDC 1981;; 135:479-480.
10 +
Brook I:  Bacteriological features of chronic sinusitis in children . JAMA 1981;;246:540-547.
11 +
Socransky SS, Manganiello SD:  The oral microbiota of man from birth to senility . J Pediodontal 1971;;42:485-496.
12 +
Myerson MC:  Anaerobic retropharyngeal abscess . Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1932;;41: 805-819.
13 +
Prevot AR: Biologies des malodies dues aux anaerobies . Paris, Editions Medicales, Flammarion, 1955;.
14 +
Ernst O:  Zur bedetung des Bacteroides funduliformis als infektions-errerger . Z Hyg 1951;;132:352-355.
15 +
Janecka IP, Rankow RM:  Fatal mediastinitis following retropharyngeal abscess . Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1971;;93:630-663.
16 +
Heinrich S, Pulverer G:  Uber den Nachweis des Bacteroides melaninogenicus in Krankheitsprozessen bei Mensch und Tier . Z Hyg 1960;; 146:331-336.
17 +
Meleney FL:  Bacterial synergy in disease processes . Ann Surg 1931;;22:961-981.
18 +
Altemeier WA:  The pathogenicity of the bacteria of appendicitis . Surgery 1942;;11:374-378.
19 +
Meleney FL, Olpp S, Harvey HD, et al:  Peritonitis: II. Synergism of bacteria commonly found in peritoneal exudates . Arch Surg 1932;;25: 709-721.
20 +
Hite KE, Locke M, Hesseltine HC:  Synergism in experimental infections with nonsporulating anaerobic bacteria . J Infect Dis 1949;;84: 1-9.
21 +
Brook I, Hunter V, Walker RI:  Synergistic effects of anaerobic cocci, Bacteroides, Clostridia, Fusobacteria, and aerobic bacteria on mouse and induction of substances abscess . J Infect Dis 1984;;149:924-928.
22 +
Ingham HR, Tharagonnet D, Sisson PR:  Inhibition of phagocytosis in vitro by obligate anaerobes . Lancet 1977;;1:252-254.
23 +
Lev M, Krudell KC, Milford AF:  Succinate as a growth factor for Bacteroides melaninogenicus . J Bacteriol 1971;;108:175-178.
24 +
Mergenhagen SE, Thonard JC, Scherp HW:  Studies on synergistic infection: I. Experimental infection with anaerobic streptococci . J Infect Dis 1958;;103:33-44.
25 +
Brook I:  The role of beta-lactamase—producing bacteria in the persistence of streptococcal tonsillar infection . Rev Infect Dis 1984;;6:601-607.
26 +
Nord CE, Lindqvist L, Olsson-Liljequist B, et al:  Beta-lactamase in anaerobic bacteria . Scand J Infect Dis 1985;;46( (suppl) ):57-63.
27 +
Brook I, Calhoun L, Yocum P:  Beta-lactamase—producing isolates of Bacteroides species from children . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1984;;18:164-166.
28 +
Brook I, Gober AE:  Emergence of betalactamase—producing aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the oropharynx of children following penicillin . Clin Pediatr 1984;;23:338-341.
29 +
Heimdahl A, Von Konow L, Nord CE:  Isolations of beta-lactamase-producing Bacteroides strains associated with clinical failures with penicillin treatment of human orofacial infections . Arch Oral Biol 1980;;25:689-692.
30 +
Brook I:  Beta-lactamase-producing bacteria recovered after clinical failures with various penicillin therapy . Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1984;;110:228-231.

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