Polymicrobial submandibular abscess by anaerobic bacteria: A rare case report

Deep neck space infections are infections in the potential spaces of the neck that can lead to the formation of abscesses, the most common site being the submandibular gland. These infections commonly are odontogenic in origin and are polymicrobial. Infection being polymicrobial can be caused by both aerobes and anaerobes, where anaerobes are present as normal microbiota and become infectious when there is a breach in the natural barrier. Anaerobes are commonly neglected due to their fastidious nature, stringent transportation, conventional culture methods, and prolonged incubation. Identifying anaerobic infections in deep neck infections is crucial as it can result in potential severity and complications if not treated. With the advent of antimicrobial resistance against anaerobes, it is important to perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing for anaerobes. We report a polymicrobial submandibular abscess caused by Prevotella buccae and Dialister pneumosintes, which were identified in the pus specimen of the patient, and were sensitive to metronidazole, piperacillin-tazobactam, meropenem, and clindamycin.