Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37386401›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2023

Bacterial findings in patients referred to hospital for the treatment of acute tonsillitis with or without peritonsillar phlegmon.

Camilla Andersen, Thomas Greve, Kasper Basse Reinholdt, Ann Marlene Gram Kjaerulff, Nichlas Udholm, Vesal Khalid, Adnan Madzak, Christophe Duez, Henrik Münch, Søren Pauli and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Next-generation sequencing of the tonsillar microbiome in severe acute tonsillitis: comparison with healthy controls and culture-based findings.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Camilla AndersenDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99 Aarhus N, Aarhus, DK-8200, Denmark. camiande@rm.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0276-8529
Thomas GreveDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99 Aarhus N, Aarhus, DK-8200, Denmark.
Kasper Basse ReinholdtDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Ann Marlene Gram KjaerulffDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Nichlas UdholmDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Vesal KhalidDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Adnan MadzakDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Christophe DuezDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Henrik MünchDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Søren PauliDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Christian Sander DanstrupDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Niels Krintel PetersenDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Tejs Ehlers KlugDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

Funding

Lundbeckfonden R185-2014-2482
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe vast majority of patients with acute tonsillitis (AT) are managed in general practice. However, occasionally patients are referred to hospital for specialized management because of aggravated symptoms and/or findings suggestive of peritonsillar involvement. No prospective studies have been conducted aiming to investigate the prevalent and significant microorganisms in this highly selected group of patients. We aimed to describe the microbiological findings of acute tonsillitis with or without peritonsillar phlegmon (PP) in patients referred for hospital treatment and to point out potential pathogens using the following principles to suggest pathogenic significance: (1) higher prevalence in patients compared to healthy controls, (2) higher abundance in patients compared to controls, and (3) higher prevalence at time of infection compared to time of follow up.

methodsMeticulous and comprehensive cultures were performed on tonsillar swabs from 64 patients with AT with (n = 25) or without (n = 39) PP and 55 healthy controls, who were prospectively enrolled at two Danish Ear-Nose-Throat Departments between June 2016 and December 2019.

resultsStreptococcus pyogenes was significantly more prevalent in patients (27%) compared to controls (4%) (p < 0.001). Higher abundance was found in patients compared to controls for Fusobacterium necrophorum (mean 2.4 vs. 1.4, p = 0.017) and S. pyogenes (mean 3.1 vs. 2.0, p = 0.045) in semi-quantitative cultures. S. pyogenes, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, and Prevotella species were significantly more prevalent at time of infection compared to follow up (p = 0.016, p = 0.016, and p = 0.039, respectively). A number of species were detected significantly less frequently in patients compared to controls and the mean number of species was significantly lower in patients compared to controls (6.5 vs. 8.3, p < 0.001).

conclusionsDisregarding Prevotella spp. because of the prevalence in healthy controls (100%), our findings suggest that S. pyogenes, F. necrophorum, and S. dysgalactiae are significant pathogens in severe AT with or without PP. In addition, infections were associated with reduced diversity (dysbacteriosis).

trial registrationThe study is registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov protocol database (# 52,683). The study was approved by the Ethical Committee at Aarhus County (# 1-10-72-71-16) and by the Danish Data Protection Agency (# 1-16-02-65-16).

Indexed as

CellulitisTonsillitisFusobacterium necrophorumHospitalsHumansStreptococcus pyogenesDysbacteriosisFusobacterium necrophorumStreptococcus dysgalactiaeStreptococcus pyogenes

Identifiers

PMID37386401
PMCPMC10308605

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.