Actinomycosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Tongue Diseases ; microbiology ; pathology

We report a case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with mild exertional dyspnea and cough. Fiberoptic bronchoscopic findings revealed an endobronchial polypoid lesion with stenotic bronchus. The lesion was very similar to endobronchial tuberculosis. Histologic examination of the biopsy specimen demonstrated Actinomyces infection. There was a clinical response to intravenous penicillin therapy. Primary endobronchial actinomycosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of an endobronchial lesion, especially endobronchial tuberculosis in Korea.
Actinomycosis/pathology* ; Actinomycosis/microbiology ; Actinomycosis/diagnosis ; Aged ; Bronchial Diseases/pathology* ; Bronchial Diseases/microbiology ; Bronchial Diseases/diagnosis ; Case Report ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Human ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/pathology* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis

Actinomycosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery

Actinomycosis, rare in pelvic localization and a severe condition not well known to gynecologists, is an uncommon entity caused by anaerobic bacteria, Actinomycosis israelii. After trauma, surgery, or other infections that alter the host's mucosal barriers, these organisms advance to invade surrounding tissue and organs. The pelvic loculation of the disease generally presents as a pseudoneoplastic formation, so it is very difficult to make an accurate diagnosis initially. We experienced a pelvic and abdominal actinomycosis confirmed by pathology in a woman who had been wearing an IUD and complained fever, chill, headache for one month, and lower abdominal pain and palpable mass. This case illustrates the importance of considering the possibility of actinomycosis when we met a vague abdominal mass.
Abdominal Pain ; Actinomycosis* ; Bacteria, Anaerobic ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Pathology

Actinomycosis ; pathology ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Mycoses ; pathology ; Staphylococcal Skin Infections ; microbiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Staphylococcus aureus ; isolation & purification ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Intrabdominal actinomycosis is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. This chronic infection has a propensity to mimic many other diseases and may present with a wide variety of symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristic clinical features with review of the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 22 patients with intrabdominal actinomycosis between January 2000 and January 2006. RESULTS: There were two men and 20 women with a mean age of 42.8 years (range, 24 - 69). Twelve patients presented with masses or abdominal pain, whereas 3 patients presented with acute appendicitis. The rate of performing an emergency surgery was 50% due to symptoms of peritonitis. The mean size of tumor was 5.5 cm (range, 2.5 - 11.0). Sixty percent (n = 12) of female patients had intrauterine device (IUD). The average time to definite diagnosis was 10.6 days. CONCLUSION: Intrabdominal abdominal actinomycosis must first be suspected in any women with a history of current or recent IUD use who presents abdominal pain. If recognized preoperatively, a limited surgical procedure, may spare the patient from an extensive operation.
Abdominal Pain/*etiology/microbiology ; Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritonitis/pathology/surgery ; Young Adult

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous disease, characterized by the formation of abscess, draining sinuses, abundant granulation, and dense fibrous tissue. Actinomycosis of the gallbladder is extremely rare. We report a case of an 56-years old man who abruptly presented with right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Abdominal CT showed that the gallbladder had 2 cm sized stone and an edematous thick wall. Our preoperative diagnosis was acute calculous cholecystitis. After the management of acute cholecystitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed but converted to open surgery due to severe adhesion to liver and greater omentum. Partial cholecystectomy was performed. Histologic section of the gallbladder showed sulfur granule with gram-positive branching bacilli compatible with actinomyces. After cholecystectomy, the patient received intravenous penicillin G for 2 weeks, followed by oral penicillin for 3 months.
Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis, Acute/*diagnosis/surgery ; Gallbladder Diseases/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penicillins/administration & dosage ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Actinomycosis is an indolent, slowly progressive infection caused by Actinomyces species and usually results in the formation of characteristic clumps called sulfur granules. Depending on the site of primary infection, it is generally classified as cervicofacial, thoracic, and abdominal type. Abdominal actinomycosis is often difficult to diagnose before operation because of its infrequent and chronic disease progression without any characteristic clinical features. In principle, diagnosis is based on histologic demonstration of sulfur granules in pus or surgically resected specimen, and the treatment consists of long-term antibiotic therapy coupled with or without surgical resection. We report a case of abdominal actinomycosis presenting as mesenteric mass adhering to small bowel confirmed by laparoscopic exploration and biopsy. Treatment with intravenous penicillin for 4 weeks followed by additional oral therapy for 11 months resulted in clinical resolution.
Actinomycosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Mesentery/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Penicillin G/therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Actinomycosis is an uncommon disease, which is usually manifested as cervicofacial infection and related to poor oral hygiene or compromised immune function. Pulmonary actinomycosis is rare, but its diagnosis is changing due to its variable presentation and the similarity in appearance to other intrapulmonary diseases. Here we report an 80-year-old man with a solitary pulmonary nodule over the left upper lobe. Pulmonary neoplasm was highly suspected in this patient and thus resection of the mass was undertaken through video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Histopathological examination demonstrated this patient had an Actinomyeces infection. While the application of VATS in patients with pulmonary actinomycosis has rarely been reported in literature, we conclude that VATS is valuable for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with undetermined pulmonary nodule(s).
Actinomycosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Video Recording ; methods

Abdominal actinomycosis causing hydronephrosis in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt is very rare. A 27- year-old female patient was admitted complaining of lower abdominal pain. She had undergone ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery 10 years ago. Abdominal Ultrasonography and a CT scan demonstrated an inflammatory mass in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen causing obstructive hydroureter and hydronephrosis. Laparotomy revealed a diffusely infiltrating mass involving the small bowel, mesentery, and sigmoid colon, and a 1cm perforation in the sigmoid colon. Actinomycosis was diagnosed upon histological examination. After treatment with antibiotics and surgery, the patient's condition improved.
Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt ; Ultrasonography ; Treatment Outcome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Intestinal Perforation/*diagnosis ; Inflammation ; Humans ; Female ; Colon, Sigmoid/*injuries/*pathology ; Adult ; Actinomycosis/*diagnosis ; Abdominal Pain