Study of bacteria isolated from infections of the oral and maxillofacial region

Part 3: Relations between the clinical symptons and the isolation of organisms

Abstract

A total 150 patients with obstructed abscesses in the oral and maxillofacial region were studied with respect to the relation between clinical symptons and the isolation of organisms.
Various kinds of anaerobes were isolated from almost all patients. Mixtures of grampositive cocci and anaerobic gram-negative rods were most frequent in severe cases. Patients in whom few organisms were isolated were characterized by chronic, mild inflammation and prior chemotherapy. All patients with postoperative maxillary cysts had chronic infections
The results suggested that anaerobes were necessary for the occurrence of infection in the oral and maxillofacial region and that pathogenic synergy between gram positive cocci and gram negative rods contributed to increased severity of infection.