Brain abscess causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2]

Overview

Brain abscesses commonly occur when bacteria or fungi infect part of the brain. The source of the infection is often not found. However, the most common source is a lung infection. The germs that cause a brain abscess usually reach the brain through the blood. Less often, a heart infection is to blame. Germs may also travel from a nearby infected area (for example, an ear infection) or enter the body during an injury (such as a gun or knife wound) or surgery. In children with heart disease or a birth defect, such as those with tetralogy of fallot, infections are more able to reach the brain from the intestines, teeth, or other body areas.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening conditions may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.

Common Causes

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Atrial septal defect, bacterial endocarditis, cyanotic congenital heart disease, Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve, endocarditis, infective endocarditis, prosthetic heart valve, pulmonary arteriovenous malformation, ventricular septal defect
Chemical/Poisoning	No underlying causes
Dental	Dental braces, dental extraction, dental sepsis, tooth infection
Dermatologic	Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome
Drug Side Effect	Chronic steroid use, intravenous drug use
Ear Nose Throat	Cholesteatoma, ear infection, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, mastoiditis, Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, sinusitis, suppurative otitis media
Endocrine	No underlying causes
Environmental	No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic	Amebic dysentery, cystic fibrosis, intra-abdominal infection
Genetic	Cystic fibrosis, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	Esophageal dilatation, neurosurgery, organ transplant, ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Infectious Disease	Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, actinomyces, actinomycosis, aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, amebic dysentery, amoebiasis, anaerobic bacteria, aspergillosis, aspergillus, bacterial endocarditis, bacterial meningitis, bacteroides, candida albicans, Chagas disease, cladosporium trichoides, clostridium, coccidioides immitis, congenital listeriosis, corynebacterium, cryptococcus neoformans, curvularia, cysticercosis, empyema, endocarditis, entamoeba histolytica, enterobacter, enterobacteriaceae, enterococcus, erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, escherichia coli, fungi, fusobacterium, group B streptococcal infection, haemophilus aphrophilus, haemophilus, HIV, infective endocarditis, intra-abdominal infection, klebsiella pneumoniae, klebsiella, Lemierre's syndrome, listeria, listeriosis, lung abscess, mastoiditis, mucorales, mucormycosis, mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycoplasma hominis, nocardia, nocardiosis, opportunistic infections, orbital cellulitis, paragonimus, parasites, peptococcus, peptostreptococcus, prevotella, propionibacterium, proteus, pseudomonas, pyomyositis, rhodococcus equi, salmonella, scedosporium apiospermum, schistosoma japonicum, sinusitis, staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis, streptococcus milleri, streptococcus pneumoniae, streptococcus, suppurative otitis media, tooth infection, toxoplasma, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infection, viridans streptococci, wound infections
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic	No underlying causes
Neurologic	Bacterial meningitis, brain surgery, brain tumor, cholesterol granuloma, foreign body aspiration, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia , neurological disorders related to AIDS, neurosurgery, Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, skull fracture, traumatic brain injury
Nutritional/Metabolic	No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	Brain tumor, cholesterol granuloma, hematogenous spread, neoplasms
Ophthalmologic	Orbital cellulitis
Overdose/Toxicity	Chronic steroid use, drug abuse, intravenous drug abuse
Psychiatric	No underlying causes
Pulmonary	Bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, empyema, foreign body aspiration, lung abscess, mycobacterium tuberculosis, upper respiratory tract infections
Renal/Electrolyte	Urinary tract infection
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy	Immunodeficiency
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Head trauma, penetrating head trauma, puncture wound to brain, skull fracture, traumatic brain injury
Urologic	Urinary tract infection
Miscellaneous	Alcoholism, near drowning, ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Causes in Alphabetical Order

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References

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