Klebsiella ozaenae subperiosteal mastoid abscess: A brief report and literature review

Subperiosteal abscess (SPA) is a known sequel of acute mastoiditis typically afflicting children and less often the elderly, caused by Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and anaerobes. Atrophic rhinitis is a progressive disease with nasal mucosal and turbinate atrophy, thick dried crusts, and foul odor called ozaena, caused by Klebsiella ozaenae. We present an interesting case of SPA in the mastoid in a patient with atrophic rhinitis, astonishingly caused by a common pathogen, K. ozaenae, and a review of literature. The presence of coexistent atrophic rhinitis and mastoiditis should always compel otolaryngologists to consider K. ozaenae as the common etiology.