Summary Actinomycosis - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Actinomycosis, caused by Actinomyces bacteria, primarily affects the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract and can be treated with antibiotics and surgery if necessary.
Slides
Slide Presentation (11 slides)
Key Points
- Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by gram-positive filamentous bacteria known as Actinomyces.
- The infection is typically granulomatous and suppurative, leading to the formation of abscesses and sinus tracts.
- Actinomycosis is often not diagnosed until the chronic phase.
- Treatment involves a prolonged course of antibiotics, typically 6 to 12 months.
- Complications such as abscess formation, osteomyelitis, and spread of infection can occur.
Summaries
21 word summary
Actinomycosis is caused by Actinomyces bacteria, primarily affecting the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Treatment involves antibiotics and possible surgery.
57 word summary
Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by Actinomyces bacteria, primarily affecting the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosis is challenging and often occurs during the chronic phase. Treatment involves prolonged antibiotic therapy and possible surgical resection. Prognosis is generally good with appropriate treatment, but complications can occur. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary for optimal patient care.
363 word summary
Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by Actinomyces bacteria, resulting in abscesses and sinus tracts. Diagnosis often occurs during the chronic phase. Healthy individuals can be treated with extended intravenous antibiotics, but the outcome for immunocompromised patients is uncertain.
Actinomyces bacteria typically colonize the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Thoracic actinomycosis is linked to alcohol use disorder and seizure disorders, while infection in the cervical and facial areas usually follows oral cavity surgery in individuals with poor oral hygiene. Pelvic actinomycosis is associated with intrauterine device use, and abdominal actinomycosis may occur after abdominal surgery.
The infection is more common in males aged 20-60, with a peak incidence in the 40-50 age range. Intrauterine device use in females has increased the infection rate. Actinomycosis is more prevalent among those with low socioeconomic status, but there is no racial bias.
Actinomyces are part of the normal flora but only cause infections when there is tissue injury and a break in the mucosal barrier. Infections are usually polymicrobial.
Clinical presentation varies depending on the site of infection. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is the most common type, characterized by a painless mass evolving into multiple abscesses with sinus tracts. Genitourinary actinomycosis mimics gynecological tumors and presents with lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge. GI actinomycosis can involve various parts of the digestive tract and presents with symptoms like dysphagia and abdominal pain. Pulmonary actinomycosis is diagnosed in the chronic phase and presents similar to other chronic lung infections.
Diagnosis is challenging, as isolating the organism requires prolonged bacterial culture under anaerobic conditions. Gram staining is more useful than culture, and yellow sulfur granules are a hallmark feature. Histopathological examination and immunofluorescence can also aid diagnosis.
Treatment involves a prolonged course of antibiotics, typically lasting 6-12 months. Penicillin G is the preferred antibiotic, but alternatives like clindamycin or macrolides can be used for penicillin-allergic patients. Surgical resection may be necessary in severe cases. Regular imaging is needed to monitor treatment response.
Prognosis is generally good with appropriate treatment, although complications like abscess formation, osteomyelitis, and spread of infection can occur. A multidisciplinary approach involving infectious disease specialists, surgeons, intensivists, endocrinologists, and internists is required for optimal patient care.
455 word summary
Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by gram-positive filamentous bacteria known as Actinomyces. The infection leads to the formation of abscesses and sinus tracts. Actinomycosis is often not diagnosed until the chronic phase. In healthy individuals, it can be treated with a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics, but the outcome is less clear for immunocompromised patients.
Actinomyces bacteria normally colonize the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Thoracic actinomycosis is associated with alcohol use disorder and seizure disorders, while infection in the cervical and facial areas typically occurs after oral cavity surgery in patients with poor oral hygiene. Pelvic actinomycosis is linked to the use of intrauterine devices, and abdominal actinomycosis can occur after abdominal surgery.
Actinomycosis has a higher incidence in males aged 20 to 60 years, with a peak incidence in the 40 to 50-year age range. The use of intrauterine devices in females has also increased the incidence of the infection. Low socioeconomic status is associated with a higher prevalence of actinomycosis, but there is no racial predilection.
Actinomyces are part of the normal flora in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and female urogenital tract. They only cause infections when there is tissue injury and a break in the mucosal barrier. The infection is usually polymicrobial, with multiple bacterial species present.
The clinical presentation of actinomycosis depends on the site of infection. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is the most common type and is characterized by a painless mass that eventually evolves into multiple abscesses with sinus tract formation. Genitourinary actinomycosis often mimics gynecological tumors and can present with lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge. GI actinomycosis can involve the esophagus, appendix, cecum, and colon, and presents with symptoms such as dysphagia and abdominal pain. Pulmonary actinomycosis is often diagnosed in the chronic phase and presents with symptoms similar to other chronic lung infections.
The diagnosis of actinomycosis is challenging, as isolation of the organism requires prolonged bacterial culture under anaerobic conditions. Gram staining of infected tissue or purulent material is more useful than culture. The characteristic feature of actinomycosis is the presence of yellow sulfur granules. Histopathological examination and immunofluorescence can also aid in diagnosis.
Treatment involves a prolonged course of antibiotics, typically 6 to 12 months. Penicillin G is the preferred antibiotic, but alternatives such as clindamycin or macrolides can be used in patients allergic to penicillin. Surgical resection of the infected site may be necessary in extensive or complicated cases. Repeat imaging is required to monitor treatment response.
The prognosis for actinomycosis is generally good with appropriate treatment. However, complications such as abscess formation, osteomyelitis, and spread of infection can occur. Actinomycosis requires an interprofessional team approach involving infectious disease specialists, surgeons, intensivists, endocrinologists, and internists to provide optimal care to patients.
547 word summary
Actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by gram-positive filamentous bacteria known as Actinomyces. The infection is typically granulomatous and suppurative, leading to the formation of abscesses and sinus tracts. Actinomycosis is often not diagnosed until the chronic phase. In healthy individuals, it can be treated with a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics, but the outcome is less clear for immunocompromised patients. The evaluation and treatment of actinomycosis require a well-integrated, interprofessional team approach to ensure optimal patient care.
Actinomyces bacteria normally colonize the mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. It can be difficult to distinguish between normal flora colonization and infection. Thoracic actinomycosis is associated with alcohol use disorder and seizure disorders, while infection in the cervical and facial areas typically occurs after oral cavity surgery in patients with poor oral hygiene. Pelvic actinomycosis is linked to the use of intrauterine devices, and abdominal actinomycosis can occur after abdominal surgery, particularly appendectomy.
Actinomycosis has a higher incidence in males aged 20 to 60 years, with a peak incidence in the 40 to 50-year age range. The use of intrauterine devices in females has also increased the incidence of the infection. Low socioeconomic status is associated with a higher prevalence of actinomycosis, but there is no racial predilection.
Actinomyces are part of the normal flora in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and female urogenital tract. They only cause infections when there is tissue injury and a break in the mucosal barrier. The infection is usually polymicrobial, with multiple bacterial species present. Actinomyces inhibits host defenses, reduces oxygen tension, and produces toxins that facilitate its inoculation.
The clinical presentation of actinomycosis depends on the site of infection. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is the most common type and is characterized by a painless mass that eventually evolves into multiple abscesses with sinus tract formation. Genitourinary actinomycosis often mimics gynecological tumors and can present with lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge. GI actinomycosis can involve the esophagus, appendix, cecum, and colon, and presents with symptoms such as dysphagia and abdominal pain. Pulmonary actinomycosis is often diagnosed in the chronic phase and presents with symptoms similar to other chronic lung infections.
The diagnosis of actinomycosis is challenging, as isolation of the organism requires prolonged bacterial culture under anaerobic conditions. Gram staining of infected tissue or purulent material is more useful than culture, as culture may be negative in 50% of cases due to prior antibiotic therapy or polymicrobial infection. The characteristic feature of actinomycosis is the presence of yellow sulfur granules. Histopathological examination and immunofluorescence can also aid in diagnosis.
Treatment of actinomycosis involves a prolonged course of antibiotics, typically 6 to 12 months. Penicillin G is the preferred antibiotic, but alternatives such as clindamycin or macrolides can be used in patients allergic to penicillin. Surgical resection of the infected site may be necessary in extensive or complicated cases. Repeat imaging is required to monitor treatment response.
The prognosis for actinomycosis is generally good with appropriate treatment. However, complications such as abscess formation, osteomyelitis, and spread of infection can occur. Actinomycosis requires an interprofessional team approach involving infectious disease specialists, surgeons, intensivists, endocrinologists, and internists to provide optimal care to patients.
In conclusion, actinomycosis is a rare infection caused by Actinomyces bacteria. It can affect various sites in the body and presents with a