Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2011 Jun;54(6):427-430. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2011.54.6.427.

A Case of Cervical Actinomycosis Misdiagnosed to Malignant Tumor

• Hwang JY
• Park SY
• Lee SY

• KMID: 2277250
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2011.54.6.427

Abstract

Actinomyces are gram positive anaerobes which exist as normal flora in the oral and digestive tract. Actinomycosis is a very rare subacute or chronic infectious disease that causes sinus fistula, tract or abscess due to the invasion of surrounding soft tissue when normal mucosa is damaged by inflammation. Clinically, it is categorized into cervicofacial, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and systemic infection, in which cervicofacial infection accounts for 50% of all actinomycosis. With various nonspecific clinical manifestations and uncertain results of fine needle aspiration cytology and culture examination, treatment may be difficult since it may be misdiagnosed as malignancy or tuberculosis. Along with literature, we present a case of a 57-year old male patient with cervical actinomycosis in the submandibular mass, which was mistaken for malignancy.

Keyword

Cervicofacial actinomycosis; Malignant neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Abdomen
Abscess
Actinomyces
Actinomycosis
Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Communicable Diseases
Fistula
Gastrointestinal Tract
Humans
Inflammation
Male
Mucous Membrane
Pelvis
Thorax
Tuberculosis