Akpeh JO¹, Okechi UC², Obi D³, Nwoga C⁴ and Chukwuneke F⁵*

¹Senior Lecturer, Consultant Otorhinolaryngology Surgeon, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria
²Senior Lecturer, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria
³Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Medicine University of Nigeria Ituku-Ozalla Campus Enugu
⁴Senior Lecturer, Consultant Oral Pathologist, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria
⁵Professor, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Chukwuneke F, Professor, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria.

Received: May 26, 2025; Published: June 12, 2025

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to highlight the epidemiological reality and the increasing occurrence of cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis resulting from odontogenic infection with its high morbidity and mortality in the south-eastern Nigeria.

Patients and Methods: We carried out an evaluation of 53 cases of odontogenic infection seen at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery units of three specialist hospitals in the south-eastern states of Nigeria over a 2-year period from January 2021 to December 2022. The case notes of these patients were retrieved, analyzed and evaluated. All the cases were categorized by the infection site, age, sex, time of presentation and treatment outcome.

Results: Poor oral hygiene was evident in most of these cases accounting for 41 (78%). More females 32 (60%) were affected than male 21 (40%) giving a male-to-female ratio of 1: 1.5. The age range of the patient was between 12 to 83 years with mean age of 65 years. All the patients presented as emergency cases. Out of the 53 cases treated 12 (23%) had progressed to Necrotizing fasciitis at the time of presentation. We lost five patients.

Conclusion: This study has shown an increasing occurrence of Odontogenic infection with morbidity and mortality surge in the south eastern Nigeria. While emphasis should be on individual oral health care and health-seeking behavour, there is a need also for health care policy makers to re-focus on this morbidly increasing orofacial infection through the establishment of adequate oral health care delivery system.

Keywords:Odontogenic Infection; Cervico-Facial; Necrotizing Fasciitis

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Citation

Citation: Akpeh., et al. “Odontogenic Infection and Cervico-Facial Necrotizing Fasciitis in South-East Nigeria: A New Epidemic?". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.7 (2025): 15-20.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Chukwuneke., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.