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Intrarenal Injection of Escherichia coli in a Rat Model of Pyelonephritis
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[Actinomycosis of the kidney: a case report]

R Homberg1, W Cherri, J Woziwodzki

  • 1Ammerland-Klinik GmbH, Klinik für Urologie und Kinderurologie, Westerstede. roland.homberg@ammerlandklinik.de

Aktuelle Urologie
|July 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Actinomycosis is a rare bacterial infection. This case highlights renal actinomycosis, a challenging diagnosis often requiring nephrectomy, presenting as renal masses.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Urology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Actinomycosis is a rare bacterial infection, predominantly affecting the head and neck (cervicofacial actinomycosis).
  • Renal actinomycosis is exceptionally rare, complicating the diagnosis of renal masses and often mimicking carcinoma.
  • Diagnosis is challenging due to non-specific symptoms and the need for advanced imaging and histology.

Observation:

  • The case involved a patient referred for nephrectomy due to suspected renal and perirenal abscesses.
  • Radiological findings suggested abscesses, necessitating surgical intervention.
  • Histological examination confirmed the presence of renal actinomycosis.

Findings:

  • Histological confirmation of renal actinomycosis in a patient presenting with suspected renal abscesses.
  • The infection presented as renal and perirenal abscesses, leading to a nephrectomy recommendation.
  • This case underscores the diagnostic difficulty of renal actinomycosis.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering actinomycosis in the differential diagnosis of renal masses, especially with B-symptoms.
  • Suggests that while antibiotics are standard, surgical intervention like nephrectomy may be required for renal actinomycosis.
  • Emphasizes the need for thorough histological examination for definitive diagnosis of rare infections like renal actinomycosis.

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