Acute Suppurative Parotitis and Parotid Abscess in Young Children

Abstract

Acute suppurative parotitis in three children, aged between eight months and two years who presented within a period of one month is described. Despite prompt treatment with intravenous antibiotics, the swellings in two of the three progressed to abscesses whose identification was facilitated by ultrasonic examination. The organism isolated from purulent specimens from the drained abscesses consisted of Staphylococcus aureus, while one of the two that progressed to an abscess had in addition, an anaerobic organism, Fusobacterium nucleatum. All the three recovered completely. Based on our experience, it is advocated that the management of infants with suppurative parotitis should include adequate antibiotic cover for streptococcus, staphylococcus and bacteroides, while drainage, using Blair's modified incision should be undertaken where an abscess is present. The efficacy of ultrasound examination in the diagnosis of parotid gland abscess is highlighted