Liver and brain abscess caused by Aggregatibacter paraphrophilus in association with a large patent foramen ovale: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. Aggregatibacter paraphrophilus (former name Haemophilus paraphrophilus) is a normal commensal of the oral flora. It is a rare cause of hepatobiliary or intracerebral abscesses. Case presentation. We report a case of a 53-year-old Caucasian man with a liver abscess and subsequent brain abscesses caused by Aggregatibacter paraphrophilus. The probable source of the infection was the oral flora of our patient following ingestion of a dental filling. The presence of a large patent foramen ovale was a predisposing factor for multifocal abscesses. Conclusion. In this case report, we describe an unusual case of a patient with both liver and brain abscesses caused by an oral commensal Aggregatibacter paraphrophilus that can occasionally show significant pathogenic potential. © 2010 Ariyaratnam et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.