Pericardial mass: A rare form of cardiac actinomycosis case report

Actinomycosis is a rare chronic infection caused by a group of anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria which inhabits commonly the oral cavity, colon, and genitourinary tract. Actinomycosis of the thorax is the third most common form. Pericardial actinomycosis is an extremely rare condition. Actinomycosis is characterized by its tendency to mimic malignancy as it can invade surrounding tissue and form a mass. Multiple manifestations should be noted by physicians as a result of the large variety of symptoms and the involvement of multiple organ systems. With proper treatment, it has a good prognosis. We describe a patient with an unusual clinical form of cardiac actinomycosis presenting as an isolated pericardial mass resembling a malignant tumor.