A wide spectrum of aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic bacterial pathogens are involved in the causation of deep seated abscesses in the head and neck. Early clinical diagnosis and isolation of the etiologic agent in culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolate are essential for prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics, which in turn reduces the morbidity and mortality in these cases. A study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology in association with the Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College, Trivandrum and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery at Government Dental College, Trivandrum, for a period of one year from September 2016 to August 2017, to find out the etiological agents of deep space infections in head and neck both by aerobic and anaerobic culture methods. A total of 95 isolates were obtained from clinical samples collected during that period. The aerobic organisms isolated includes 33.6%, anaerobic organisms 61.05% and microaerophilic isolates 5.2%. The predominant aerobic organism isolated in the study was Streptococcus pyogenes (53.12%). Among the anaerobic organisms Peptostreptococcus species (63.7%) is the most common species isolated. The miccroaerophilic organism isolated in the study was microaerophilic Streptococci (5.2%). Antibiotic sensitivity testing of aerobic and microaerophilic isolates were performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and anaerobic isolates by agar dilution method according to CLSI guidelines. The patients were treated with the appropriate antibiotics based on the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolate. The mortality rate in the study was 5%.

Keywords: Deep space infections, Anaerobes, microaerophilic bacteria

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Dr Lancy Justus

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