Brain abscess incidence and microbial etiology in Turkey: a nationwide cross-sectional study

S. Korkmaz, D. Korkmaz

Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Science University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. serhat.korkmaz@afsu.edu.tr

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• Neurology

OBJECTIVE: Brain abscess, a localized purulent central nervous system infection, arises from a variety of microorganisms. Expedited diagnosis and formulation of effective treatment strategies are crucial for mitigating mortality risks in patients with brain abscesses. A nuanced understanding of potential microbial agents is pivotal for the development of empirical antibiotic therapies. This study aimed to explore the incidence and microbial etiology of brain abscesses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is a nationwide cross-sectional analysis of patients diagnosed with brain abscesses in Turkey, employing the ICD 10 diagnosis code from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021. Data pertaining to age, sex, comorbidities, and microorganisms isolated from central nervous system samples were meticulously recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS: This study included 11,536 patients diagnosed with brain abscesses. The incidence fluctuated between 0.98 and 3.68 during the review decrease post-2017, with a notable increase in male patients during time. Diabetes constituted 56.5% of the patients. The predominant isolated pathogens were Staphylococcus (37.6%), Streptococci (13.3%), and Klebsiella spp. (7.8%), Escherichia coli (6.4%), and Candida species (6.1%).

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of brain abscesses is decreasing in Turkey. Although staphylococci remain the most isolated agents, the frequent occurrence of Gram-negative bacteria and Candida species warrants consideration during empirical antibiotic selection.

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