Abscess
From Encyclopædia
An abscess results when bacteria--usually Streptococcus--spreading into tissue causes INFLAMMATION. A fibrous wall forms so that the infection is sealed off from other tissue, and pus--yellowish white fluid containing white blood
cells, bacteria, and dead tissue--fills the center of the walled-in region. An abscess is painful when the inflamed area becomes congested, causing
pressure on nearby nerve endings. In order to heal, an abscess must be drained and then treated with antibiotic
drugs. Common
skin abscesses are
boilS and
carbuncleS, and they can affect such areas as the middle ear (see EAR DISEASE) and the eye (see STY). An abscess of a tooth root can occur if dental decay is advanced (see
TEETH), and
tuberculosis begins with abscesses in the lungs.
