Coinfection of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Actinomyces israelii in mastoiditis diagnosed by next-generation DNA sequencing

Abstract

Some bacterial infections involve potentially complex mixtures of species that can now be distinguished using next-generation DNA sequencing. We present a case of mastoiditis where Gram stain, culture, and molecular diagnosis were nondiagnostic or discrepant. Next-generation sequencing implicated coinfection of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Actinomyces israelii, resolving these diagnostic discrepancies. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.