At an isolated weather station in the central United States, a technician emerges from a small brick shed grasping a balloon. It's not just any birthday party balloon, mind you, but a massive, white sphere more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter.
Most frequently, the lung abscess arises as a complication of aspiration pneumonia caused by mouth anaerobes. The patients who develop lung abscess are predisposed to aspiration and commonly have periodontal disease.
A localized collection of pus in any body part, resulting from invasion of a pyogenic bacterium or other pathogen. Staphylococcus aureus, e.g., methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a common cause. The abscess is surrounded by a membrane of variable strength created by macrophages, fibrin, and granulation tissue. Abscesses can disrupt function in adjacent tissues and can be life threatening in some circumstances, e.g., in the lung or within the peritoneal cavity. illustration; inflammation; pus; suppuration;