Orange County health officials reported three additional cases in the Mycobacterium outbreak linked to pulpotomies performed at the Children’s Dental Clinic of Anaheim, bringing the total to 25.

Image/Michal Jarmoluk
Image/Michal Jarmoluk

Eight cases have been confirmed positive for Mycobacterium abscessus while 17 cases are classified as probable. All 25 children required hospitalization for their illness.

The Orange County Health Care Agency says the pulpotomy date range is 4/6/16 to 7/28/2016 for all cases and only a small percentage of children who had a pulpotomy procedure at this clinic have become ill.

Dental infections due to M. abscessus can cause symptoms weeks to months after a pulpotomy procedure. Swelling, redness, and pain around the infected tooth occur, with symptoms often coming on slowly over days to weeks.

M. abscessus infections can be treated, but multiple antibiotics may need to be taken for a prolonged period. Identifying infection quickly is important to make treatment most effective.

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