Targeted gene survey from a brain abscess. uncultured bacterium

The bacterial flora responsible for brain abscess was analyzed by comparing the culture technique to three techniques using 16S rDNA amplification: (i) direct sequencing (providing a single sequence), (ii) multiple sequencing following cloning (providing around 100 different sequences), and (iii) multiple sequencing via high throughput pyrosequencing using the 454 Life Science-Roche platform. These approaches have been previously used to explore mixed dental, vaginal, pulmonary, and intestinal flora. The 20 case series indicates a tremendously expanding spectrum of bacterial species associated with brain abscess, including 27 species never before described in relation to this condition. 454 sequence data is available from the Short Read Archive (SRA): SRA001098.