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.
An abscess is an infection of the soft tissue that results in a pooling of pus. They are typically caused by bacteria, parasites or foreign substances. When near the surface of the skin, abscesses are obvious to the eye, appearing red and swollen. Abscesses are often painful.