Retropharyngeal phlegmon caused by a group B Streptococcus in a diabetic patient: report of one case

• Published in: Revista medíca de Chile Vol. 136; no. 3; pp. 351 - 355
• Main Authors: Sapunar Z, Jorge, Cabello V, Alvaro, Godoy R, Emilio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Chile 01-03-2008
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Ceftriaxone - therapeutic use; Cellulitis - drug therapy; Cellulitis - microbiology; Cloxacillin - therapeutic use; Diabetes Complications - drug therapy; Diabetes Complications - microbiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neck; Retropharyngeal Abscess - drug therapy; Retropharyngeal Abscess - microbiology; Streptococcal Infections - complications; Streptococcal Infections - drug therapy; Streptococcus agalactiae - drug effects; Streptococcus agalactiae - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0034-9887

We report a 47 year-old diabetic male, admitted due to metabolic decompensation, malaise, purulent pharyngeal discharge and a mass in the posterior cervical region. Blood glucose was 270 mg/dl, a nasopharyngoscopy showed a pharyngeal phlegmon and CT scan confirmed the presence of a phlegmon in the retropharyngeal region. He was treated with sodium penicillin, cloxacillin and ceftriazone and the phlegmon was drained surgically. The culture of the purulent discharge gave growth to a Group B Streptococcus. The evolution was favorable and the patient completed seven days with intravenous antimicrobials and additional seven days with oral ampicillin/sulbactam.