Brain abscess from oral microbiota approached by metagenomic next-generation sequencing: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Background: Brain abscess is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused primarily by microbial infection. Although progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of brain abscesses, the diagnostic timeliness of pathogens needs to be improved.

Case summary: We report the case of a 54-year-old male with a brain abscess caused by oral bacteria. The patient recovered well after receiving a combination of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS)-assisted guided medication and surgery.

Conclusion: Therefore, mNGS may be widely applied to identify the pathogenic microorganisms of brain abscesses and guide precision medicine.

Keywords: Brain abscess; Case report; Metagenomic next-generation sequencing; Oral bacteria; Periodontitis; Precision medicine.