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Case report: brain and liver abscesses caused by oral infection with Streptococcus intermedius

Kai Wolfgang Wagner1, Ralf Schön, Martin Schumacher

  • 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. kai.wolfgang.wagner@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics
|September 26, 2006
PubMed

Insights

This case study highlights Streptococcus intermedius as a cause of rare brain and liver abscesses. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, including antibiotics and abscess drainage, led to complete patient recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology
  • Hepatology

Background:

  • Organ abscesses are uncommon but severe complications, often stemming from bloodstream infections.
  • Brain and liver abscesses represent a particularly life-threatening manifestation.

Observation:

  • A patient presented with concurrent brain and liver abscesses.
  • Imaging studies, including contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were crucial for lesion identification.
  • An oral examination revealed a localized infection source within the mouth.

Findings:

  • Streptococcus intermedius was successfully isolated from oral, liver, ventricular, and blood samples.
  • The identified pathogen confirmed the oral cavity as the origin of the disseminated infection.
  • Successful treatment involved a multi-modal approach.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering oral infections as a potential source for serious systemic abscesses.
  • Early diagnosis and intervention, combining antibiotic therapy, surgical drainage, and source control (oral rehabilitation), are critical for favorable outcomes.
  • Highlights the diagnostic utility of advanced imaging and microbiological analysis in complex infectious cases.

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