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Infections caused by Fusobacterium in children: a 14-year single-center experience

Oded Shamriz1, Dan Engelhard1,2, Violeta Temper3

  • 1Pediatric Division, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Infection
|May 2, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Fusobacterium infections in children often lead to abscesses and serious intracranial complications. Fusobacterium necrophorum is the primary cause of severe pediatric infections, necessitating prompt medical attention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Fusobacterium species are anaerobic bacteria commonly found in the human oral cavity.
  • While often commensal, certain Fusobacterium species can cause severe infections, particularly in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical experience with Fusobacterium infections in pediatric patients.
  • To identify the spectrum of disease, complications, and causative species.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of medical records from 2000-2013.
  • Inclusion criteria: children with Fusobacterium spp. identified in any clinical specimen.
  • Data collected on patient demographics, infection sites, complications, and outcomes.

Main Results:

  • 22 pediatric patients identified, mean age 5 years.
  • Common complications included abscess formation (50%) and intracranial involvement (36.4%), such as brain abscess, meningitis, and cerebral sinus vein thrombosis (CSVT).
  • Fusobacterium necrophorum was the predominant pathogen (14/22 cases), associated with severe outcomes including CSVT, mastoiditis, meningitis, and brain abscesses.

Conclusions:

  • Fusobacterium infections in children present a wide range of clinical manifestations.
  • High rates of abscess and severe intracranial complications are associated with these infections.
  • Fusobacterium necrophorum is identified as the main driver of severe pediatric Fusobacterium infections, distinct from the more common Fusobacterium nucleatum.
Abstract

Keywords:
BacteremiaClinical spectrumComplicationsFusobacteriumLemierreOtogenic infections

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