The role of focal infections in the pathogenesis of diseases

Focal infections have a definite role in various infectious complications. They may cause local propagation, systemic infection (sepsis) and metastatic infections. In such complications eradication of focal infections may have a curative and/or preventive effect. Such a role of focal infections in diseases of immunopathological origin cannot be proven. In these disorders the persistence of focal infection is not necessarily required for the progression of the disease, and eradication of focal infection(s) has no curative effect. There are no sufficient evidence favouring a connection between dental, tonsillar, and urogenital focal infections and allergic or autoimmune diseases. We also lack evidence that eradication of focal infections, apart from rare instances, might influence the prognosis of such patients.