A case of pulmonary actinomycosis. |
Jie Jung Jang1, Sung Su Kim1, Chi Hong Kim1, Soon Seog Kwon1, Young Kyoon Kim1, Kwan Hyoung Kim1, Ki Don Han1, Hwa Sik Moon1, Jeong Sup Song1, Sung Hak Park1, Eun Ju Seo2 |
1Department of Internal Medicine, Calholic University medical College, Seoul, Korea 2Department of Clinical Pathology, Calholic University medical College, Seoul, Korea |
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Abstract |
Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative infection characterized by extensive necrosis, fibrosis and sinus formation without regard to normal tissue planes. The causative organism in human infection is Actinomyces israelii. Thoracic actinomycosis is diagnosed in the presence of poor oral hygiene, pulmonary infiltrate, empyema, sinus tract and osteomyelitis of ribs. However, in the absence of chest wall involvement, the diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis is difficult and its initial clinical manifestations may lead physicians to suspect tuberculosis or neoplasm. It could not be distinguished from tuberculosis or neoplasm radiogically. We report a case of pulmonary actinomycosis in a 64 year old woman with a review of the literature. |
Key Words:
Pulmonary actinomycosis |
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