Observational studyThe Journal of infection2020
Microbial aetiology of brain abscess in a UK cohort: Prominent role of Streptococcus intermedius.
Observational study in The Journal of infection, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers.
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Who cites it
37 citing papers in PubMed, 65 citations in OpenAlex.
- Management of community-acquired brain abscess and intracranial empyema: a survey of UK neurosurgical centres.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2026Article
- Streptococcus anginosus group brain abscesses and subdural empyemas: exploratory compartment-specific phenotypes and discharge outcomes in a single-center retrospective cohort study.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Multiple Brain Microabscesses and a Lung Abscess Caused byInfectious disease reports · 2026Article
- Life-Threatening Orbital and Intracranial Sequelae of Odontogenic Sinusitis: 3 Complex Cases.The American journal of case reports · 2026Article
- Multifocal streptococcus intermedius abscess mimicking neurocysticercosis clinical and radiological findings: A case report and literature review.Radiology case reports · 2026Article
- Conventional imaging-derived phenotypes of brain abscess and short-term clinical outcomes: a comparative study in children and adults.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Article
- Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in brain abscess.Surgical neurology international · 2026Article
- Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing for Brain Abscess: Improved Pathogen Detection, Targeted Antimicrobial Therapy, and Association with Fewer Surgical Interventions.Infection and drug resistance · 2026Article
- Atypical Presentation of a Cerebellar Abscess Caused by Streptococcus intermedius: Importance of Early Recognition.Cureus · 2026Article
- Intracranial Complications Following Acute Rhinosinusitis in a Pediatric Patient Requiring Surgery: A Case Report.Cureus · 2026Article
- Epidemiology of Brain Abscess: A Retrospective Cohort From a Neurosurgical Tertiary Referral Center in England.Open forum infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Brain abscess following right maxillary odontogenic infection in a patient with diabetes mellitus: a case report.Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons · 2025Article
- Auto-aggregation inmBio · 2025Article
- Unveiling the Hidden Culprit: A Case of a Temporal Lobe Abscess Presenting With Nonspecific Symptoms.Cureus · 2025Article
- Clinical characteristics, complications, and outcome of brain abscess treated by stereotactic aspiration: a retrospective analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Single-center experience and evaluation of rare ıntracranial abscesses in childhood.Italian journal of pediatrics · 2025Article
- Review
- Therapeutic Drug Monitoring-Guided Linezolid Therapy for the Treatment of Multiple Staphylococcal Brain Abscesses in a 3-Month-Old Infant.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- InvasivePathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Augmented pathogen detection in brain abscess using metagenomic next-generation sequencing: a retrospective cohort study.Microbiology spectrum · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBrain abscess is an uncommon condition, but carries high mortality. Current treatment guidelines are based on limited data. Surveillance of clinical, radiological and microbiology data is important to inform patient stratification, interventions, and antimicrobial stewardship.
methodsWe undertook a retrospective, observational study of patients with brain abscess, based on hospital coding, in a UK tertiary referral teaching hospital. We reviewed imaging data, laboratory microbiology, and antibiotic prescriptions.
resultsOver a 47 month period, we identified 47 adults with bacterial brain abscess (77% male, median age 47 years). Most of the abscesses were solitary frontal or parietal lesions. A microbiological diagnosis was secured in 39/47 (83%) of cases, among which the majority were of the Streptococcus milleri group (27/39; 69%), with a predominance of Streptococcus intermedius (19/27; 70%). Patients received a median of 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics (most commonly ceftriaxone), with variable oral follow-on regimens. Ten patients (21%) died, up to 146 days after diagnosis. Mortality was significantly associated with increasing age, multiple abscesses, immunosuppression and the presence of an underlying cardiac anomaly.
conclusionOur data suggest that there has been a shift away from staphylococcal brain abscesses, towards S. intermedius as a dominant pathogen. In our setting, empiric current first line therapy with ceftriaxone remains appropriate on microbiological grounds and narrower spectrum therapy may sometimes be justified. Mortality of this condition remains high among patients with comorbidity. Prospective studies are required to inform optimum dose, route and duration of antimicrobial therapy.
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