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Severe acute tonsillitis caused by Rothia dentocariosa in a healthy child

Masahiro Ohashi1, Tetsushi Yoshikawa, Shiho Akimoto

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|May 7, 2005
PubMed

Insights

A pediatric case of bacterial tonsillitis caused by Rothia dentocariosa is presented. This rare pathogen led to severe throat inflammation and pseudomembrane formation in a young child.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Bacterial tonsillitis is a common pediatric illness.
  • Rothia species are typically commensal oral flora, rarely implicated in severe infections.

Observation:

  • A 4-year-old girl presented with sore throat, high fever, and enlarged tonsils covered by a thick white pseudomembrane.
  • Physical examination revealed significant tonsillar hypertrophy and erythema.

Findings:

  • Laboratory tests showed marked leukocytosis (26,600 leukocytes/mm³) and elevated C-reactive protein (23.3 mg/dL).
  • Throat swab cultures identified Rothia dentocariosa.
  • Gram staining of the pseudomembrane revealed numerous Gram-positive cocci.

Implications:

  • This case highlights Rothia dentocariosa as a potential pathogen in severe pediatric tonsillitis.
  • It underscores the importance of microbiological identification for appropriate antibiotic selection in refractory cases.

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