Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of General Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
We report a case of Haemophilus aphrophilus brain abscess presenting 6 weeks after application of dental braces in an adolescent patient with a formerly undetected patent foramen ovale. Neither brain abscess nor invasive H. aphrophilus infection has previously been associated with dental braces. Application or tightening of dental braces may cause bacteremia and invasive disease from oral commensals.