Actinomycosis is a chronic, granulomatous suppurative disease caused by Actinomyces species. Actinomyces is an anaerobic, gram positive organism that requires special techniques for culture and isolation. Actinomycosis is characterized by formation of multiple abscesses, draining sinuses, abundant granulations (sulfur granule) and dense fibrous tissue. The three major clinical presentations include the cervicofacial, thoracic, and abdominal regions. Since A. israelii is a normal inhabitant of the oral cavity, to make a definitive diagnosis it must be recovered from closed tissue spaces, draining sinuses, or abscesses, or it must be shown to be invasive in histopathologic sections. The drug of choice is penicillin. Because of the dense fibrous tissue surrounding the colonies of organisms and the concentration of organisms in clusters, high doses of pharmacologic agents must be used for long periods, and radical surgical excision should accompany antibiotic therapy if possible. We report three cases of abdominal actinomycosis, preoperatively impressed as appendicitis and pelvic abscess, which was diagnosed by a histological study of operative specimens. The possible pathogenic mechanisms causing clinical symptoms are discussed.
Abscess ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Appendicitis ; Diagnosis ; Mouth ; Penicillins

Actinomycosis causes a chronic suppurative, granulomatous disease which is characterized by extensive abscess formation, and sulfur granule formation. Actinomycosis may present different clinical forms: cervicofacial, thoracic, abdominal and cerebral actinomycosis. The diagnosis can only be made after surgery. In general, patients with abdominal actinomycosis have undergone abdominal surgery. We report four cases of primary appendiceal actinomycosis presenting as acute appendicitis without history of abdomen surgery.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Appendicitis* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Sulfur

Actinomycosis is a disease caused by an anaerobic bacteria called Actinomyces species (predominantly Actinomyces israelii), which is a common and normally nonpathogenic organism found in the nose and throat. The four major clinical presentations of actinomycosis include the cervicofacial, thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic region. Actinomycosis is difficult to diagnose because of variable presentation and fastidious nature of the organism in culture. A high index of suspicion and biopsy are often necessary to make the diagnosis, because the disease can mimic neoplasm or a chronic granulomatous infection. We present, with the appropriate review, a case of actinomycosis in the mandibular angle area which was mistaken for a parotid abscess.
Abscess* ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis ; Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Nose ; Pelvis ; Pharynx

Actinomycosis of cerivcofacial region is an uncommon disease and presents as an abscess or chronic lesion mimicking malignancy, tuberculosis, or fungal lesion. Actinomycosis is difficult to diagnose because of fastidious nature of the organism in culture and general lack of familiarity with the disease. So, a high index of suspicion is required to make an accurate and timely diagnosis. We present a case of male patient with actinomycosis of submandibular triangle complaining of neck mass.
Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Neck* ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Tuberculosis

Actinomycosis is an infectious disease caused by certain Actinomyces species. Actinomyces are Gram-positive, non-spore forming organisms characterized by obligate or facultative anaerobic rods that normally inhabit anaerobic niches of the human oral cavity. Cervicofacial, abdominal, pelvic and thoracic infections of Actinomyces are not uncommon, but endobronchial actinomycosis is rarely reported. Endobronchial actinomycosis can be misdiagnosed as unresolving pneumonia, endobronchial lipoma or malignancies. Endobronchial actinomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of any endobronchial mass. We report a case of a 43-year-old man who presented with a productive cough and pulmonary consolidation at the right lower lobe on chest radiograph. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed obstruction of the right superior segment of the lower bronchus with an exophytic endobronchial mass. Endobronchial actinomycosis was confirmed by demonstration of sulfur granules in the bronchoscopic biopsy of the mass. Intravenous administration of penicillin G followed by oral amoxacillin/clavulanic acid therapy for 3 months resulted in improving symptoms. Infiltrative consolidation on the chest X-ray was markedly decreased.
Actinomycosis/drug therapy ; Actinomycosis/diagnosis* ; Adult ; Bronchial Diseases/drug therapy ; Bronchial Diseases/diagnosis* ; Case Report ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Human ; Male

Actinomycosis is a rare disease in human and has variable clinical features, which make the diagnosis difficult. Actinomycosis may be confused with malignancy and other inflammatory diseases because of its infiltrative nature and its tendency to invade normal anatomic barriers. We have experienced a case of abdominal actinomycosis combined with ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and report this case with brief review of literatures.
Actinomycosis* ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: Thoracic actinomycosis is a rare, chronic debilitating disease and it is difficult to diagnose and treat. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between March 1990 to December 2003, 17 patients were diagnosed and treated for actinomycosis in our center. Except 4 patients (involving cervicofacial, and abdominopelvic area), we reviewed the clinical characteristics, diagnosis method, and treatment in 13 patients. RESULT: In 8 patients, the operation was required for diagnosis and treatment. 7 of 8 patients had tumor-like lesions in radiological findings and they were not distinguished as lung cancer, and 1 of 8 patients was non-responsive to the antibiotics therapy. Among the 5 medically treated patients, 4 of 5 patients were diagnosed by bronchoscopic biopsy and one by CT-guided biopsy. All of them was well-responsive by the antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Thoracic actinomycosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that respond well to antibiotics (penicillin therapy). It should be diagnosed by the repeated biopsy (CT-guided or bronchoscopic) before starting treatment. However, if the lesion is not distinguished as the lung cancer, non-responsive to the medical treatment, and the patients experience the recurrent hemoptysis, we can consider the operation for the diagnosis and treatment.
Actinomycosis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms

Actinomycosis is a chronic, progressive, suppurative disease which appears to be difficult to establish a correct preoperative diagnosis. Most of pelvic actinomycosis in women are related to a long time intrauterine device(IUD) inserted state. The causative agent is a branching, gram-positive anaerobic or microaerobic organism, not fungi. Ascending infection of the upper genital tract by actinomycosis may be clinically inapparent. We experienced a case of clinically inapparent tuboovarian actinomycosis in a 47-year-old women with IUD, discovered pathologically after laparotomy.
Actinomycosis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Laparotomy ; Middle Aged

Actinomycosis is a slowly progressive chronic suppurative infection noted for forming characteristic sulfur granule by an anaerobic gram-positive bateria. Pelvic actinomycosis occurs most commonly in association with IUD and has variable nonspecific symptoms that make an initial diagnosis difficult. Colonization of lower genital tract by Actinomyces occurs most often in IUD users and increases with the duration of IUD use. We experienced a case of actinomycotic pelvic abscess associated with IUD and report it with a brief review of concerned literature.
Abscess ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Sulfur

Actinomycosis is relatively rare infection which is produced by an anaerobic organism, actinomycetes, normally residing in the mouth, bowel and female genital tract. This disease is characterized by chronic inflammatory induration with abscess and multiple sinus formation. In most cases, the onset of this is preceded by an inflammatory or traumatic history on abdomen but diagnosis can't be made until operation. Recently this disease is treated with antimicrobial therapy and wide surgical excision. We experienced a case of omental actinomycosis and report it with brief review of literatures.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Actinobacteria ; Actinomycosis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mouth ; Omentum