Unveiling the etiology of peritonsillar abscess using next generation sequencing

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Genomics

Background:

• Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a serious deep neck infection with unclear bacterial causes.
• Understanding the specific bacteria involved is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the bacterial etiology of PTA using next-generation sequencing (NGS).
• To compare microbial communities in tonsil biopsies and pus samples from PTA patients.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of tonsil biopsies and pus samples from 91 PTA patients.
• Application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for comprehensive bacterial identification.

Main Results:

• Identified over 400 genera and 800 species, with Streptococcus pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Fusobacterium nucleatum being most abundant.
• S. pyogenes was often predominant, but F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum also frequently dominated samples.
• No significant differences were found in microbial composition between pus and tonsil biopsy samples.

Conclusions:

• Streptococcus pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Fusobacterium nucleatum are likely primary causative agents of PTA.
• Other bacteria like Streptococcus anginosus and anaerobes may also contribute to PTA.
• Pus samples are more representative for microbiological examination of PTA than tonsillar tissue, aiding in patient management.