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[Abdominal actinomycosis in children]
Insights
Actinomycosis in children can affect the abdomen, presenting in various ways. Surgical removal of the infected tissue, combined with antibiotics, offers an effective treatment approach.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Actinomycosis is a rare bacterial infection caused by Actinomyces species.
- Abdominal actinomycosis in children is uncommon, with varied clinical presentations.
- Diagnosis often relies on histopathological examination.
Abstract:
A total of four children (1 female and 3 male subjects aged from 3.5 to 10 years) is reported as treated by surgery and antibiotics for the abdominal focus of actinomycosis. The infection was manifested as an infiltration around the inflamed appendix in one case, the second case was related with multiple infiltrations in the abdominal wall and pelvic region. Two patients showed cyst and eventually urachal sinus infiltrated with actinomycosis. The diagnosis was determined in all cases from histology. In three cases, the inflammatory tumor was exstirpated in toto. The treatment with penicillin combined with streptomycin or other antibiotic has lasted no longer than 6, 28, 29 and 80 days, respectively. The emphasis is made on the benefit of resectional surgery which reduces the amount of antibiotics needed and shortens the therapeutic course of actinomycosis.