Peritonsillar abscess causes
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Prince Tano Djan, BSc, MBChB [2]
Overview
The cause of peritonsillar abscess is usually polymicrobial. It is predominantly caused by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.[1] Streptococcus pyogenes is the most common cause of peritonsillar abscess.[2][1][3][4] Other common causes include; Fusobacterium necrophorum, Streptococcus milleri, Staphylococci, Haemophilus, Prevotella, Acinetobacter spp., Candida albicans, Peptostreptococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella.[2][1]
Causes
The cause of peritonsillar abscess is usually polymicrobial. It is predominantly caused by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.[1]
Life-threatening causes
There as no life-threatening causes of peritonsillar abscess.[2][1]
Most common cause
The most frequent pathogen of peritonsillar abscess is Streptococcus pyogenes.[2][1][3][4]
Common causes
Some common causes of peritonsillar abscess include:[2][1]
- Fusobacterium necrophorum
- Streptococcus milleri
- Staphylococci
- Haemophilus
- Prevotella
- Acinetobacter spp.
- Candida albicans
- Peptostreptococcus spp.
- Pseudomonas spp.
- Enterobacter spp.
- Klebsiella
Less common causes
Less common causes of peritonsillar abscess include:[2][1]
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical/Poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | No underlying causes |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | Acinetobacter, Candida albicans, Enterobacter, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Haemophilus, Klebsiella, Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas, Prevotella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant Staphilococcus aureus), Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus milleri, Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus), Veillonella species
|
| Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying causes |
| Nutritional/Metabolic | No underlying causes |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Ophthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose/Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal/Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- Acinetobacter spp.
- Candida albicans
- Enterobacter spp.
- Fusobacterium necrophorum
- Haemophilus
- Klebsiella
- Peptostreptococcus spp.
- Porphyromonas
- Prevotella
- Pseudomonas spp.
- Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant staph. aureus)
- Streptococcus anginosus
- Streptococcus milleri
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Veillonella species
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Megalamani SB, Suria G, Manickam U, Balasubramanian D, Jothimahalingam S (2008). “Changing trends in bacteriology of peritonsillar abscess”. J Laryngol Otol. 122 (9): 928–30. doi:10.1017/S0022215107001144. PMID 18039418.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Brook I (2004). “Microbiology and management of peritonsillar, retropharyngeal, and parapharyngeal abscesses”. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 62 (12): 1545–50. PMID 15573356.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Snow DG, Campbell JB, Morgan DW (1991). “The microbiology of peritonsillar sepsis”. J Laryngol Otol. 105 (7): 553–5. PMID 1875138.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Matsuda A, Tanaka H, Kanaya T, Kamata K, Hasegawa M (2002). “Peritonsillar abscess: a study of 724 cases in Japan”. Ear Nose Throat J. 81 (6): 384–9. PMID 12092281.
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