[A clinical analysis of 9 cases of actinomycosis]

To study the clinical features of actinomycosis and to increase the understanding of it.

To review the clinical data of 9 cases of actinomycosis retrospectively in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1990 to June 2006.

(1) Nine patients including 7 female and 2 male, with age ranging from 30 to 50 years (mean age 39.8 years) were studied and they suffered from the disease for a mean period of 13.1 months (2 - 36 months). (2) Three of the 9 patients had cervicofacial actinomycosis, 2 pelvic actinomycosis, 2 thoracic actinomycosis, 1 breast and 1 intestinal actinomycosis. In 3 cases the lesion spread to many other organs from the primary site. (3) The diagnosis was made with biopsy in 6 cases, sputum or sulphur granules in 2 and clinical as well as laboratory examination in one. (4) All the 9 patients accepted appropriate therapy of antibiotics and the treatment was effective in 8. The one failed to respond to antibiotics died.

Actinomycosis is infrequent clinically. It usually presents as chronic abscess and may be misdiagnosed as malignant tumor. Clinical doctors should be vigilant of it, in order to diagnose and treat it in good season and to greatly improve the prognosis.