Production of experimental brain abscess in the rat.

Experimental evaluation of brain abscess has been inhibited by the lack of a simple and reproducible model in small animals. A stereotaxic headholder and slow infusion of 1 microliter of saline, containing a known number of bacteria, were used to produce brain abscess consistently in the rat. The natural history of the brain abscess produced by this technique closely simulated that found in the human clinical situation.