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[Foreign body-induced thoracic actinomycosis as differential mediastinal space-occupying lesion diagnosis].

Thoracic actinomycosis is a rare disease often mistaken for malignancy. Untreated actinomycosis is associated with high mortality, the disease should, thus, be considered early. We report the case of a 58-year-old male patient who was referred to us for a suspected thoracic sarcoma. He had 6-month a history of hemoptysis, and there was severe deterioration in his general health. Only in a roundabout way was the diagnosis of thoracic actinomycosis established; it was caused by an aspirated chicken bone, as found by bronchoscopy. All symptoms rapidly regressed by antibiotic therapy and definitive healing was obtained. In the diagnostic work up of thoracic masses that may represent inflammatory diseases, lymphoma, thymus-associated, sarcomatous and germ-cell tumors, bronchoscopy is of primary diagnostic importance.

Actinomycosis↗

Pseudo-colonic carcinoma caused by abdominal actinomycosis: report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal actinomycosis is an infrequent chronic, suppurative infection caused by the aerobic gram-positive bands Actinomyces israelii. PATIENT PRESENTATION: We report two cases of abdominal actinomycosis, simulating colon cancer. Before operation, both patients presented with abdominal pain and a palpable mass. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed an infiltrating irregular mass in the cecum and transverse colon, respectively. Surgical intervention was then performed under the impression of colonic malignancy. CONCLUSION: Postoperatively, pathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of abdominal actinomycosis in which the characteristic finding of sulfur granules in the resected specimen was demonstrated. After surgery, the patients continued antibiotic treatment with ampicillin for 2 months at our OPD and had no signs of recurrence 1 year after surgery.

Abdominal Pain↗

Efficiency of combined colonoscopy and computed tomography for diagnosis of colonic actinomycosis: a retrospective evaluation of eight consecutive patients.

The preoperative diagnosis of colonic actinomycosis is accurate in fewer than 20% of patients. Colonoscopy and computed tomography (CT) findings were analyzed to ascertain their diagnostic value and their role in determining therapeutic modality and outcome. Before and after treatment we retrospectively evaluated eight consecutive patients with colonic actinomycosis, all of whom were women with a previous history of intrauterine contraceptive device use. Median follow-up period was 20 months (7-57). Localized nodules were found in all cases by colonoscopy; half of these nodules included umbilication at the apex. The colonic mucosa demonstrated normal to moderate inflammation as well as hyperemia and edema. Mucosal ulceration was found in only one case. All cases showed some degree of stenosis. These findings differ from those in other inflammatory or neoplastic diseases of the colon. Abdominopelvic CT revealed extramural involvement of heterogeneous lesions all cases. Contrast enhancement also indicated severe thickening of the colonic wall (7-20 mm) with focal and dense enhancement in six cases. Seven of eight patients required surgery for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Complete resolution was determined using both colonoscopy and CT. As more than half of these cases could have been safely managed using an adequate antibiotic treatment, diagnostic studies indicating a high likelihood of colonic actinomycosis should be evaluated to avoid unnecessary surgeries carried out for diagnostic purposes. A combination of colonoscopy and CT appears to be important for both diagnosis and management because of their compensatory findings of mucosal and extramucosal lesions, respectively.

Actinomycosis↗

Laryngeal actinomycosis accompanying laryngeal carcinoma: Report of two cases.

Actinomycosis is a systemic chronic bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces israelii, an anaerobic organism normally resident in the human mouth. It can involve any organ, but cervicofacial disease is the most common. Laryngeal involvement is rare and usually occurs secondary to the oral, cervical or mandibular disease. There are only a few cases of primary laryngeal actinomycosis (LA) in the literature. Actinomycosis can also be a complication of head and neck surgery. Here we present two cases of LA accompanying laryngeal carcinoma and discuss in the literature about this event.

Actinomycosis↗

Thoracic actinomycosis with mainly pleural involvement.

A 61-year-old man, who had been diagnosed with pleuritis 5 months earlier, was admitted to our hospital to determine if a tumor shadow that appeared in his right lower lung field on March 2002 was a localized pleural mesothelioma. Although a CT-guided lung biopsy was performed, no definite diagnosis was made. However, because the tumor shadow continued to increase in size, we could not rule out the possibility of a malignant thoracic tumor, and performed video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Histological examination of the surgically resected tissue led to a diagnosis of thoracic actinomycosis in the main component of the pleura. Because the recurrence of pulmonary actinomycosis was also suspected after surgical treatment, penicillin G was administered intravenously and afterward amoxicillin was administered intraorally. Subsequently, the patient's clinical status improved. We considered a case of thoracic actinomycosis that was suspected to have spread directly from the lung to the chest wall with complicating pleural effusion and remained with organization because there was a pulmonary infiltration shadow in the right upper lobe on chest CT at the first admission.

Actinomycosis↗

Actinomycosis, a rare and unsuspected cause of anal fistulous abscess: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Primary perianal actinomycosis is rare. Sporadic cases, with lesions varying in extent have been reported. The infection is caused by the bacterium Actinomyces, which often is a saprophyte. Male gender and diabetes are risk factors, but the exact pathogenic mechanism remains speculative. The diagnosis is a challenge and often delayed, with a protracted history of masses and sinuses extending into the gluteal and genital region. The treatment, a combination of surgery and antibiotics, is poorly standardized. We report three cases and compare their characteristics to those of published cases, found by a computerized literature search (1968-2002). The lesions, a simple fistula-in-ano or a mass, were diagnosed in an early stage in all three patients. The infection always spread into the scrotum. There were no risk factors other than gender, except in one patient. The diagnosis was suspected by the observation of draining sulfur granules and promptly confirmed by histology in the three cases. All patients healed with antibiotics in addition to simple surgical procedures. Treatment consisted of amoxicillin for two weeks in two cases and more extended antimicrobial treatment in the third. These findings are contrasting with the classic picture of perianal actinomycosis. It is concluded that perianal actinomycosis can occur in the absence of risk factors and that early diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion. An infection with Actinomyces should be suspected in the presence of lesions containing watery purulent material with sulfur granules. The indication for extended antibiotherapy combined with sphincter damaging surgery may need to be revised in the presence of early detection.

Abscess↗

Primary abdominal actinomycosis in a diabetic woman--an intractable disease.

Primary abdominal actinomycosis is very unusual. Only five previous cases have been reported in the English literature. We describe the case of a 57-year-old diabetic woman with primary abdominal actinomycosis, refractory to several antimicrobial regimens and surgical procedures. We conclude that primary abdominal actinomycosis in such a diabetic woman is an intractable disease.

Abdomen↗

Actinomycosis of the middle ear.

Actinomycosis is an uncommon infection of the middle ear. Only 21 cases of actinomycosis of the middle ear have been reported in the English literature prior to this paper. The offending organism is Actinomyces israelii, which is an anaerobic, filamentous organism that is difficult to grow in culture. The infection is chronic and is seldom diagnosed prior to tympanomastoidectomy. The identification of small, yellow, glue-like masses, which are called sulfur granules, is often the key to making the diagnosis of actinomycosis of the middle ear. Following tympanomastoidectomy, penicillin is given orally for 3-6 months.

Actinomycosis↗

Bone manifestations of actinomycosis.

Actinomycosis, originally classified as a fungus, is now considered a branching bacteria. Although jaw involvement often presents with classic pathognomonic signs, postcranial disease has not been so characterized. Affected bones from individuals diagnosed in life with actinomycosis were macroscopically and radiologically examined for their macroscopic character. The bones were riddled with spheroid, occasionally coalescing defects associated with periosteal reaction. Erosion penetrated cortical bone as readily as through cortical bone or subchondral bone. X-ray revealed circular lesions with a slight sclerotic margin. Actinomycosis apparently has unique features, which should allow it to be distinguished from multiple myeloma (because of presence of reactive new bone formation) and from fungal disease (because of lack of "fronts of resorption" and penetrating spicules). Similarity to fungal infection is especially of interest because of the earlier phylogenetic classification question.

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Cardiac actinomycosis: an unusual cause of an intracardiac mass.

Actinomycosis is a chronic disease characterized by abscess formation, tissue fibrosis, and draining sinuses that may involve the cervicofacial area, thorax, abdominopelvic region, or central nervous system. We describe a patient with cardiac actinomycosis presenting with pericardial disease and an intracardiac mass. The diagnosis failed to be obtained by pericardiocentesis, but was obtained after echocardiographically guided biopsy of the intracardiac mass. The patient recovered with long-term penicillin therapy. A review of the literature highlights the frequent pericardial presentation of cardiac actinomycosis, the potential difficulty in making the diagnosis, and the remarkable clinical response and good prognosis that can result when the correct diagnosis is made and appropriate antibiotic therapy administered.

Actinomycosis↗

[Pelvic pseudotumoral actinomycosis with multisegmental lumbosacral root failure. A case report].

We report a case of pseudotumoral pelvic actinomycosis with lumbosacral spinal involvement in a 21 year-old woman. The radiological work-up showed a pseudotumoral left ovarian lesion extended to sacral spine, which involved the fifth lumbar vertebra. Diagnosis of actinomycosis was established in histopathological examination of the tubo-ovarian mass under laparotomy. After four months of treatment with ofloxacin and rifampicin evolution was marked by improvement of general health and infection, associated to a progressive recovery of motricity of the lower limbs. Early diagnosis of pelvic actinomycosis may prevent the occurrence of rare but severe neurological complications of this disease.

Actinomycosis↗

[Phalengeal actinomycosis: a rare disease].

INTRODUCTION: Bone involvement in actinomycosis is rare. EXEGESIS: We report a case of a 38 year-old woman with foot bone actinomycosis. The clinical symptoms were non-specific and the diagnosis was difficult. An X-ray revealed an osteolysis and a sclerosis of the proximal phalanx of the big toe. A phalengiectomy was carried out after the failure of antistaphylococcic antibiotherapy. The diagnosis of actinomycosis was substantiated by a histological examination. The clinical outcome was good after six-month treatment by penicillin G substitutes for cotrimoxazol. The patient completely recovered and was feeling well. The mean follow up was fifteen months. CONCLUSION: Clinical and therapeutic aspects of this rare localization are reviewed.

Actinomycosis↗

[Pelvic actinomycosis: two cases].

INTRODUCTION: Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative granulomatous disease caused by different Actinomyces species, mostly bacillus: the Actinomyces israeli. The pelvis location of this infection is rare. OBSERVATIONS: We report two cases of actinomycosis that were diagnosed after the surgical treatment of a suspected ovarian tumor and a suspected acute peritonitis. Diagnosis in both cases was based on the histopathologic findings. CONCLUSION: The incidence of pelvic actinomycosis is increasing since 1960 related to the frequent use of intra uterine device. The clinical symptomatology is not specific, simulating a neoplastic or an inflammatory process. The treatment combines operative and antibiotic therapy.

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[One case of abdominal actinomycosis in a malagasy child].

Abdominal actinomycosis is a rare and unrecognised disease. It is a chronic granulomatous suppurating infection caused by bacterial infection. The symptomatology is not specific including a tumour like abdominal lesion fistulized to the skin with issue of characteristic yellow granules. We report a case of a 12-year old boy with an abdominal mass fistulized to the navel in whom surgical treatment needs large resection of the tumour, resection anastomosis of the ileum and temporary colostomy. The diagnosis of actinomycosis was made by histolopathological study of the surgical specimen. This case demonstrates the difficulty to make a pre-operative diagnosis. To improve the prognosis, actinomycosis needs early diagnosis and should be included in the differential diagnosis of infiltrative neoplasic abdominal masses apparently.

Abdomen↗

Case report: percutaneous drainage of periappendiceal actinomycosis.

Abdominal actinomycosis is a disorder which often complicates a chronic perforation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as at the appendix (Wyngaarden and Smith, 1988). Delayed diagnosis characterizes abdominal actinomycosis. Multiple abscesses and draining sinuses are frequently present. Treatment has consisted of long-term oral antibiotic therapy coupled with surgery, including incision and drainage of abscesses with removal of persistent sinuses (Berardi, 1979). We present a patient with abdominal actinomycosis complicating a chronically ruptured appendix who was managed by percutaneous catheter drainage and antibiotic therapy.

Abdomen↗

[Abdominopelvic actinomycosis: a tumoral syndrome due to bacterial infection].

The purpose of this review is to define the diagnostic steps and treatment of abdominopelvic actinomycosis. Three cases are described which illustrate the variety of clinical presentations ranging from acute peritonitis to chronic pseudo-tumor. The diagnosis of actinomycosis is rarely made pre-operatively. Bacteriologic culture is seldom helpful and imagery findings are non-specific. The diagnosis is usually made retrospectively based on histologic examination. In women, an intrauterine contraceptive device is often a concomitant factor. Long-term antibiotic treatment (several Months) with high-dose penicillin-based medications is the mainstay of therapy. Despite a high risk of complications, surgery is often necessary both for diagnosis and treatment. Resection or drainage may diminish the dosage and duration of antibiotic therapy, and helps to minimize infectious complications. Actinomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of abdominopelvic tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, and endometriosis-particularly in a woman with an intrauterine contraceptive device.

Abdominal Abscess↗

[Actinomycosis of the buttock].

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous actinomycosis of the buttocks is a rare granulomatous bacterial infection that usually starts in the perianal area. We present an exceptional case in the form of a pseudo-tumor. CASE REPORT: A 69 year-old woman, in general good health, developed an indurate mass on the supra-external quadrant of the right buttock. The tumor was centered by an ulcerated nodule with a diameter of around 10 centimeters. Imaging showed invasion of the soft tissue of the skin in the internal psoas muscle, the adipose tonality of which was compatible with a liposarcoma. The skin biopsy revealed characteristic bacterial grain in the center of a cholesterol granuloma. Subsequent culture in aerobic milieu identified Actinomyces gerencseriae. Cure was obtained following complete exeresis of the fibrous tissue and 8 months of antibiotic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid therapy. DISCUSSION: Other than the most unusual clinical aspect, the originality of this case of actinomycosis of the buttocks is based on its potential appendix origin, 4 years after acute appendicitis, with slow posterior fistulation. Other cases of actinomycosis of appendix origin have been reported and its delayed onset following the intervention has been documented. The pseudo-sarcomatous aspect was responsible for diagnostic wandering. The histological image and, subsequently, the results of the bacteriological culture confirmed the diagnosis.

Actinomyces↗

Treatment strategy for pelvic actinomycosis: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic actinomycosis is a chronic granulomatous suppurative disease caused by an anaerobic Gram positive organism Actinomyces israelii usually associated with intra-uterine devices. Pelvic actinomycosis can mimick pelvic or intra-abdominal malignancy leading to mutilating surgical exeresis. RESULTS: We present a pelvic actinomycosis secondary to long-standing intra-uterine device use in a 50-year old European woman treated by intravenous antibiotic therapy, and then by a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophorectomy to free the pelvis from abscess. We point out the difficulty in diagnosis, and the importance of high-dose intravenous antibiotic therapy to reduce the very high risk for nearby pelvic structure injuries, reported in the literature, leading to post-operative morbidity.

Actinomycosis↗