Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:34:46.305Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cervicofacial actinomycosis presenting as acute upper respiratory tract

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Dimitris G. Balatsouras*
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Tzanion General Hospital, Piraeus
Antonios K. Kaberos
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Tzanion General Hospital, Piraeus
Panayotis N. Eliopoulos
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Tzanion General Hospital, Piraeus
Dimitris Kandiloros
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Costas N. Economou
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Tzanion General Hospital, Piraeus
*
Dimitris G. Balatsouras, 23 Achaion, Agia Paraskevi 15343, Athens, Greece.

Abstract

An unusual case of cervicofacial actinomycosis presenting as acute upper airway obstruction and demanding urgent tracheostomy is reported. Diagnosis was established by microscopic examination of the pus and culture of Actinomyces israelii. Repeated surgical drainage of the purulent foci and prolonged treatment with penicillin obtained resolution of the disease. Clinicians dealing with acute head and neck swellings should always consider actinomycosis as a possible diagnosis.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Das, D. K., Bhatt, N. C., Khan, V. A., Luthra, U. K. (1989) Cervicofacial actinomycosis: diagnosis by fine needle aspiration cytology. Acta Cytologica 33: 278280.Google ScholarPubMed
Gupta, D. S., Gupta, M. K., Naidu, N. G. (1986) Mandibular osteomyelitis caused by Actinomyces israelii. Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery 14: 291293.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holst, E., Lund, P. (1979) Cervicofacial actinomycosis. International Journal of Oral Surgery 8: 194198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nielsen, P. M., Novak, A. (1987) Acute cervico-facial actinomycosis. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 16: 440444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Norman, J. B. D. (1970) Cervicofacial actinomycosis. Oral Surgery 29: 735745.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Samuels, R. H. A., Martin, M. V. (1988) A clinical and microbiological study of Actinomycetes in oral and cervicofacial lesions. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 26: 458463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stenhouse, D., MacDonald, D. G., MacFarlane, T. W. (1975) Cervicofacial and intra-oral actinomycosis: a 5-year retrospective study. British Journal of Oral Surgery 13: 172182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walker, S., Middekamp, J. N., Sclaroff, A. (1981) Mandibular osteomyelitis caused by Actinomyces israelii. Oral Surgery 51: 243244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed