Deep neck infections

PATHOGENS

This is typically due to oral flora and others (especially if receiving antibiotics recently or hospitalized).

• Anaerobic bacteria:
  • Peptostreptococcus, Bacteroides spp., Fusobacterium spp.(Lemierre’s syndrome), Porphyromonas spp.
  • Actinomyces (see Actinomycosis module for details) is facultatively anaerobic.
• Aerobes:
  • Streptococcus species, including S. intermedius (complex)
  • S. aureus, including MRSA
  • Gam-negative bacilli, now found with increasing frequency
• Compromised hosts:
  • Candida, Aspergillus