Objective: Bacteria involved in purulent tooth disease and the most effective antibiotics were investigated.
Material and methods: Swab samples were taken from 126 rabbits with facial abscesses or purulent periapical inflammation during surgical treatment. Bacteriological examination and susceptibility testing were performed.
Results: A wide range of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were detected. The most commonly isolated anaerobes were gram-negative rods (Prevotella sp., Fusobacterium sp., Bacteroides sp.) and gram-positive non-sporulating cocci (mostly Peptostreptococcus sp.). Of the aerobes, 66.7% were gram-negative (mostly Pasteurella sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp.) while 33.3% were gram-positive (mostly Streptococcus sp., Staphylococcus sp.). Depending on the individual patients, fluoroquinolones in combination with amoxicillin-clavulanate, chloramphenicol, amoxicillin-clavulanate, tetracyclines, pradofloxacin, and fluoroquinolone-metronidazole-combinations were most effective.
Conclusion and clinical relevance: Because of the variability of the detected bacteria, considerable differences in antibiotic susceptibility were observed. Therefore, bacterial examination and susceptibility testing are recommended for effective postsurgical treatment of odontogenic abscesses in rabbits.
Keywords: Aerobes; abscess; anaerobes; susceptibility testing.