CLINICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF 6 CHILDREN WITH ACUTE SUPPURATIVE PAROTITIS

Six children including two neonates with acute suppurative parotitis a re described. They presented typical symptoms and signs of fever (4/6) and swelling (6/6), tenderness (6/6), erythema (4/6) and local warmne ss (4/6) of the parotid gland affected. Leucocytosis and an elevated e rythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum amylase level may be seen. The presence of purulent discharge from the Stensen duct when the parotid gland is externally compressed is pathognomonic of the disease, and t he microbiological diagnosis can be made by culture of the pus. Microb iologically, this series highlights the polymicrobic nature and import ance of Streptococcus viridans in paediatric suppurative parotitis, in dicating, therefore, that the causative bacteria entered the gland fro m the oral cavity. Our data also suggest that initial antibiotic thera py for such patients should provide adequate coverage for streptococci and staphylococci as well as for anaerobic bacteria.