Abstract
We encountered 7 patients of deep neck infection, of whom 5 underwent surgery and the remaining 2 had diabetes mellitus and were given no surgical treatment. One of the latter 2 patients recovered with conservative therapy, while the other died despite little or no difference in the severity of the disease and similar treatment given. Judging from the experience, it is concluded that prompt surgical intervention is basic to the treatment of deep neck infection.
Patients with gas-producing deep neck infection may present with symptoms suggestive of infection with anaerobic bacteria, but streptococci are frequently detected in such patients in clinical practice. Streptococci are bacteria isolated at a high incidence from lesions of deep neck infection. Among them, S. illeri is frequently isolated from lesions accompanied with abscess formation.
