Role of anaerobic bacteria in subdural empyema. Report of four cases and review of 327 cases from the English literature.

The American journal of medicine ·Vol. 58 ·No. 1 ·1975-01-00 ·Pages 99-104

Yoshikawa TT, Chow AW, Guze LB

Abstract

Anaerobic bacteria were isolated from the subdural space in all four cases of subdural empyema encountered over a 2 and a half year period. Only one aerobe was isolated in these cases. The bacteriology of subdural empyema was further analyzed from a review of 327 cases reported in the English literature. Anaerobes accounted for 12 per cent of 234 cases; In addition, 27 per cent of cases were reportedly "sterile." These data support our finding that anaerobic bacteria may play a far more important role in subdural empyema than was previously appreciated.

MeSH Terms

Adolescent Ampicillin/therapeutic use Anaerobiosis Bacteroides/isolation & purification Bacteroides Infections/diagnosis Brain Abscess/drug therapy,microbiology,surgery Child Chloramphenicol/therapeutic use Clindamycin/therapeutic use Dexamethasone/therapeutic use Drainage Female Humans Male Meninges Methicillin/therapeutic use Middle Aged Penicillins/therapeutic use Peptostreptococcus/isolation & purification Pneumococcal Infections/diagnosis Staphylococcal Infections/diagnosis Staphylococcus/isolation & purification Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis Streptococcus/isolation & purification Streptococcus pneumoniae/isolation & purification Subdural Space/microbiology Tetracycline/therapeutic use

Chemicals

Penicillins Clindamycin Chloramphenicol Ampicillin Dexamethasone Tetracycline Methicillin

Authors & Affiliations

3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Yoshikawa T T

Chow A W

Guze L B

Article Info

Journal

The American journal of medicine

Abbr.

Am J Med

ISSN

0002-9343

DOI

10.1016/0002-9343(75)90539-2

Published

1975-01-00

Pages

99-104

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

0267200

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/0002-9343(75)90539-2 View journal details

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Role of anaerobic bacteria in subdural empyema. Report of four cases and review of 327 cases from the English literature.

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