Orbital abscesses caused by fusobacterium necrophorum

The authors describe 2 cases of young men who presented with pansinusitis and Fusobacterium necrophorum orbital abscesses. The first patient had a complicated clinical course including epidural abscess formation and meningitis. He underwent surgical evacuation of the abscesses and sinus drainage and required long-term broad spectrum antibiotic therapy with full recovery. The second patient had a clinical course complicated by F. necrophorum septicemia. He required surgical evacuation of the abscess, sinus drainage, and long-term broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and has remained asymptomatic since. F. necrophorum may be emerging as an increasingly prevalent pathogen in orbital abscesses and can portend a more aggressive clinical course where early surgical intervention may be prudent.