Abscess Health Article

KEY TERMS

Cellulitis—Inflammation of tissue due to infection.

Enzyme—Any of a number of protein chemicals that can initiate chemical reactions at body temperature.

Fallopian tubes—Part of the internal female anatomy that carries eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.

Flora—Living inhabitants of a region or area.

Pyogenic—Capable of generating pus. Streptococcus, Staphocococcus, and bowel bacteria are the primary pyogenic organisms.

Sebaceous glands—Tiny structures in the skin that produce oil (sebum). If they become plugged, sebum collects inside and forms a nurturing place for germs to grow.

Septicemia—The spread of an infectious agent throughout the body by means of the blood stream.

Sinus—A tubular channel connecting one body part with another or with the outside.

BOOKS

Balistreri, William. "Liver abscess." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th ed., edited by Richard E. Behrman et al., Philadelphia, Saunders, 2000, 1212.

Chesney, Russell W. "Brain abscess." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th ed., edited by Richard E. Behrman et al., Philadelphia, Saunders, 2000, 1857-1858.

Finegold, Sydney M. "Lung abscess." In Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 21st ed., edited by Goldman, Lee and Bennett, J. Claude. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2000, 439-442.

Herendeen, Neil E and Szilagy, Peter G. "Peritonsillar abscess." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th ed., edited by Richard E. Behrman et al., Philadelphia, Saunders, 2000, 1266-1267.

Scheld, W. Michael. "Bacterial meningitis, brain abscess, and other suppurative intracranial infections." In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed., edited by Anthony S. Fauci, et al. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998, 2419-2434.

Schwartz, Seymour, Shires, Tom and Spencer, Frank C. Principles of Surgery, 7th ed. New York, McGraw Hill, 1998.

Stern, Robert C. "Pulmonary abscess." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th ed., edited by Richard E. Behrman et al., Philadelphia, Saunders, 2000, 1309-1310.

Townsend, Courtney M. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice, 16th ed. Philadelphia, Saunders, 2001.

PERIODICALS

Balatsouras DG, Kloutsos GM, Protopapas D, Korres S, Economou C. "Submasseteric abscess." Journal of Laryngology and Otology 115, no. 1 (2001): 68-70.

Chua, F. "Clinical picture: paravertebral abscess." Lancet 357, no. 9251 (2001): 168-70.

Rockwell PG. "Acute and chronic paronychia." American Family Physician 63, no. 6 (2001): 1113-6.

Struk DW, Munk PL, Lee MJ, Ho SG, Worsley DF. "Imaging of soft tissue infections." Radiology Clinics of North America 39, no. 2 (2001): 277-303.

Taiwo B. "Psoas abscess: a primer for the internist." Southern Medical Journal 94, no. 1 (2001): 2-5.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Academy of Family Physicians, 11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Leawood, KS 66211-2672. (913) 906-6000. <http://www.aafp.org/>. fp@aafp.org.

American Society of Clinical Pathologists, 2100 West Harrison Street, Chicago IL 60612. (312) 738-1336. <http://www.ascp.org/index.asp>. info@ascp.org.

College of American Pathologists, 325 Waukegan Road, Northfield, IL 60093. (800) 323-4040. <http://www.cap.org/>.

OTHER

American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. <http://www.fascrs.org/brochures/anal-abscess.html>.

Merck Manual. <http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section3/chapter35/35d.htm>.

South Bank University. <http://www.sbu.ac.uk/~dirt/museum/p6-216.html>.

Tuberculosis.Net. <http://www.tuberculosis.net/imagesof/rulcavity.htm>.

University of Bristol. <http://www.brisbio.ac.uk/ROADS/subject-listing/abcess.html>.

University of California-San Diego: <http://burn.ucsd.edu/remedies/abcess.html>.

University of Kansas Medical Center. <http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/pathology/ed/ch_28/c28_s24.html>.

L. Fleming Fallon, Jr., MD, DrPH