aetiology
Last reviewed 01/2018
- haematogenous spread - usually, from a primary site in the heart, lung or distal bones - for example:
- subacute bacterial endocarditis - usually causing multiple abscesses
- cyanotic congenital heart disease - loss of pulmonary filtration of organisms
- chronic pulmonary sepsis / bronchiectasis
- direct implantation of organisms - usually, trauma, neurosurgery
- local extension from adjacent foci - for example:
- suppurative otitis media } mainly to temporal lobe;
- mastoiditis } less to cerebellum
- frontal sinusitis
- orbital cellulitis
- impaired immunity / diabetes
subacute bacterial endocarditis