What is thoracic actinomycosis?

Thoracic actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic suppurative bacterial infection caused by actinomyces species, especially Actinomyces israelii.

What does Actinomyces cause?

Actinomycosis is a rare, infectious disease in which bacteria spread from one part of the body to another through body tissues. Over time, it can result in linked abscesses, pain, and inflammation. It can affect the skin or deeper areas within the body and sometimes the blood.

What are the symptoms of pulmonary actinomycosis?

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare lung infection caused by bacteria….Symptoms may include any of the following:

• Chest pain when taking a deep breath.
• Cough with phlegm (sputum)
• Fever.
• Shortness of breath.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Lethargy.
• Night sweats (uncommon)

What is abdominal actinomycosis?

Abdominal actinomycosis is a rare infectious disease, caused by gram positive anaerobic bacteria, that may appear as an abdominal mass and/or abscess (Wagenlehner et al. 2003).

What is empyema Necessitans?

Empyema necessitans is a rare complication of pleural space infections and occurs when the infected fluid dissects spontaneously into the chest wall from the pleural space. This process may result from bronchopleural extension of a peripheral lung infection.

What part of the world you are most likely to find cases of actinomycosis?

Abdominal actinomycosis is most common in the appendix, cecum, and colon.

What is Cervicofacial actinomycosis?

Cervicofacial actinomycosis is a chronic disease characterized by abscess formation, draining sinus tracts, fistulae, and tissue fibrosis.

What are the signs of pulmonary actinomycosis at CT?

At CT, pulmonary actinomycotic infection usually appears as chronic segmental airspace consolidation containing necrotic low-attenuation areas with peripheral enhancement, often accompanied by adjacent pleural thickening (Fig 7) (19, 22).

What is the name of the thoracic manifestation of actinomycosis?

Thoracic manifestations include parenchymal, bronchiectatic, and endobronchial actinomycosis. At computed tomography, pulmonary actinomycosis usually appears as chronic segmental airspace consolidation containing necrotic low-attenuation areas with peripheral enhancement.

How to tell if you have actinomycosis in the bowel?

In cases of actinomycotic disease involving the bowel, the common CT finding is concentric wall thickening, accompanied by a cystic or solid mass in the vicinity of the affected bowel segment (Fig 12) (27).

How are sulfur granules used to diagnose actinomycosis?

From a diagnostic perspective, actinomycosis is further characterized by the histopathologic finding of “sulfur granules.” The presence of these sulfur granules in pus from the abscess, in exudates from a sinus tract, or in a tissue specimen is the single most helpful histopathologic finding in making a definite diagnosis of actinomycosis.