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Cervicofacial Actinomycosis: Diagnosis and Management
Olga Oostman1, Raymond A Smego
1Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Twinbrook II, Room 236, MSC 8180, 12441 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. rsmego@niaid.nih.gov.
Current Infectious Disease Reports
|April 26, 2005
Summary
Cervicofacial actinomycosis, a head and neck infection, is typically caused by low-pathogenicity bacteria following tissue injury. Diagnosis involves identifying Actinomyces species, with penicillin and surgery being effective treatments.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Head and Neck Surgery
Background:
- Cervicofacial actinomycosis is an uncommon head and neck infection.
- Most cases originate from dental issues and affect immunocompetent individuals.
- Causative bacteria have low pathogenicity and require prior tissue injury to cause disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of cervicofacial actinomycosis.
- To highlight the diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies for this infection.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical cases and literature on cervicofacial actinomycosis.
- Diagnostic methods include cultural isolation of Actinomyces species.
- Microscopic visualization of characteristic bacterial filaments in clinical samples.
Main Results:
- The infection presents with abscesses, fibrosis, induration, and draining sinuses with "sulfur granules."
- Diagnosis is confirmed by isolating Actinomyces or visualizing branching filaments.
- Penicillin is the primary treatment, often supplemented by surgery for complications.
Conclusions:
- Cervicofacial actinomycosis, though uncommon, is diagnosable through specific microbiological and microscopic findings.
- Effective treatment with antibiotics and surgery leads to an excellent prognosis.