[Pulmonary actinomycosis grafted on former tuberculous lesions. Report of one case (author's transl)]

The occurrence of actinomycosis localized in former tuberculosis cavities in a 39-year-old woman is reported. Exeresis of the lesions allowed the discovery of Actinomyces israelii in one of the cavities which no longer communicated with the bronchial tree. In contrast to diffuse actinomycosis found in immuno-depressed patients, this form of the disease was localized in a woman in good health. A decrease of pulmonary defense mechanisms could be involved locally. The infrequency of a tuberculosis-actinomycosis sequence, contrary to aspergilloma, is perhaps due to the anaerobic metabolism of the Actinomyces.