A bacterium associated with a dental abscess infected the internal carotid artery, causing a rare mycotic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA) in a 53-year-old woman.
This is believed to be the first reported case of this rare vascular event due to Haemophilus parainfluenzae, a small Gram-negative pathogen that is a common part of the upper respiratory tract microbiota and is associated with abscesses and infections of the teeth. Only a few cases of mycotic aneurysm of the ICA have been reported following dental abscesses or procedures.
“Haemophilus parainfluenzae from a dental abscess is a potential cause of mycotic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA)”, write the authors, led by Dr. Andrea Obi of the University of Michigan (August 6, 2022).
53-year-old woman with neck swelling
After three days of neck swelling on the left side, the woman went to the emergency room. She had a history of end-stage renal disease on dialysis, and the day before she had tooth 18 removed and drained of a purulent focus.
A woman underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan that revealed a large ICA aneurysm measuring 2.3 x 2.7 x 2.3 cm, which was located 1.3 cm in front of a small residual abscess. After consulting a dentist, she was prescribed intravenous antibiotics. Blood samples were also sent for analysis.