- NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
- The first case of brain abscess following tongue piercing has been
identified
in a 22-year-old female, according to two Yale researchers.
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- "Since tongue piercing appears to be becoming
increasingly
popular...we feel it is important for physicians, the public and those
performing the piercings to be aware of the potential complications,"
Dr. Richard A. Martinello of Yale University School of Medicine in New
Haven, Connecticut, told Reuters Health.
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- "However, since this is the only case reported in
the medical literature, the frequency of this particular complication is
likely very low," he added.
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- In this case, the patient reported tongue swelling and
pus drainage around the piercing site about 2 to 3 days after having her
tongue pierced. She initially tolerated the symptoms, but pulled the stud
out within 1 or 2 days, after which her symptoms improved, according to
Martinello and colleague Dr. Elizabeth Cooney.
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- Four weeks later, however, the patient began experiencing
headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting and dizziness and was also increasingly
wobbly while walking, the report indicates. She had a history of drug use,
but denied using drugs during the previous 5 months and was HIV
negative.
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- An MRI brain imaging scan revealed an abscess in the
patient's brain, and she subsequently underwent surgery to drain the
abscess.
Upon examination of the drained fluid, the researchers found that it was
contaminated with Streptococcus viridans and other normal mouth bacteria
typically found in plaque, Martinello said.
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- The patient consequently received 6 weeks of antibiotic
therapy and fully recovered.
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- In light of both the onset of symptoms following the
removal of the tongue jewelry and the types of bacteria identified in the
drained fluid, the brain abscess most likely resulted from the tongue
piercing,
according to Martinello and Cooney.
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- What's more, the relatively few reports of infection
following tongue piercing may be due to reporting bias, rather than a true
lack of incidents, the researchers speculate. Other reports of infection
include a chest abscess and a heart infection.
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- "As the popularity of body art grows, frequency
and spectrum of piercing site infections may increase," the
investigators
conclude.
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- "I think it is very important that people be aware
that if they do experience any significant pain, swelling, fever or
drainage
from the piercing site, they (should) see their physician to have the area
assessed for an infection," Martinello added.
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- The findings were presented recently in San Francisco,
California, during the 39th annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases
Society
of America.
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