Microbiology Studies of Acute Head and Neck Infections
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Head and Neck Infection. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United Kingdom
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Identifying the Microorganisms Responsible for Acute Head and Neck Infections.
Overview
Acute head and neck infections cause significant pain and discomfort for patients and impact on their quality of life. Effective antibiotic and surgical treatments have been developed for these infections but they are still able to develop into life-threatening diseases such as meningitis and sepsis. The direct cause of acute head and neck infections is often unknown but it has been suggested that they are due to a disturbance of the normal bacterial growing in the mouth or are from dental origin. The most common microorganisms identified from these infections in published studies are a group of bacteria known as viridans group streptococci (VGS). There are over 30 individual species of bacteria in the viridans group and VGS are difficult to identify to the level of a single species because of their variability. There is a lack of species identification within the hospital setting and this project aims to gain a deeper understanding of the microorganisms causing acute head and neck infections, focusing on identification of individual species of VGS bacteria. The investigators will analyse bacterial DNA to determine which species have been identified and will also look at patient data and clinical outcomes (eg. length of hospital stay) to determine if the species causing the infection has any effect on patients.
Primary outcome measures
- Identification of Streptococci Species [Time frame: 4 years]
Secondary outcome measures (6)
- Patient Characteristics [Time frame: 4 Years]
- Patient Characteristics [Time frame: 4 Years]
- Patient Characteristics [Time frame: 4 Years]
- Clinical Outcomes [Time frame: 4 Years]
- Clinical Outcomes [Time frame: 4 Years]
- Clinical Outcomes [Time frame: 4 Years]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Over the age of 18
- Suffering with acute head and neck infection of Streptococci.
- Samples must come from Northampton General Hospital.
- Consent to participate in research with at least 24 hours of consideration.
Exclusion criteria
- Age <18 years.
- Samples from other National Health Service (NHS) hospitals.
- Infections from other areas of the body.
- Infection identified as caused by non-streptococcal bacteria.
- Chosen not to participate in research.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
United Kingdom · 1 center
- University of Northampton — Northampton
Identifiers
NCT: NCT05874908 · UNorthampton FAST PhD