Actinomycosis (patient information)

Jump to navigation Jump to search

WikiDoc Resources for Actinomycosis (patient information)

Articles

Most recent articles on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Most cited articles on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Review articles on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Articles on Actinomycosis (patient information) in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Images of Actinomycosis (patient information)

Photos of Actinomycosis (patient information)

Podcasts & MP3s on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Videos on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Bandolier on Actinomycosis (patient information)

TRIP on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Actinomycosis (patient information) at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Clinical Trials on Actinomycosis (patient information) at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Actinomycosis (patient information)

NICE Guidance on Actinomycosis (patient information)

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Actinomycosis (patient information)

CDC on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Books

Books on Actinomycosis (patient information)

News

Actinomycosis (patient information) in the news

Be alerted to news on Actinomycosis (patient information)

News trends on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Commentary

Blogs on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Definitions

Definitions of Actinomycosis (patient information)

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Discussion groups on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Patient Handouts on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Directions to Hospitals Treating Actinomycosis (patient information)

Risk calculators and risk factors for Actinomycosis (patient information)

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Actinomycosis (patient information)

Causes & Risk Factors for Actinomycosis (patient information)

Diagnostic studies for Actinomycosis (patient information)

Treatment of Actinomycosis (patient information)

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Actinomycosis (patient information)

International

Actinomycosis (patient information) en Espanol

Actinomycosis (patient information) en Francais

Business

Actinomycosis (patient information) in the Marketplace

Patents on Actinomycosis (patient information)

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Actinomycosis (patient information)

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Actinomycosis is a long-term (chronic) bacterial infection that commonly affects the face and neck.

What are the symptoms of (condition)?

  • Draining sores in the skin, especially on the chest wall from lung infection with Actinomyces
  • Fever
  • Minimal or no pain
  • Swelling or a hard, red to reddish-purple lump on the face or upper neck
  • Weight loss

Who is at highest risk?

Actinomycosis is usually caused by an anaerobic bacteria called Actinomyces israelii, which is a common and normally not disease-causing (nonpathogenic) organism found in the nose and throat.Because of the bacteria's normal location in the nose and throat, actinomycosis most commonly appears in the face and neck. However, the infection can sometimes occur in the chest (pulmonary actinomycosis), abdomen, pelvis, or other areas of the body. The infection is not contagious. Symptoms occur when the bacteria enters the facial tissues after trauma, surgery, or infection. A common triggering causes is dental abscess or oral surgery. The infection has also been seen in certain women who have had an intrauterine device (IUD) to prevent pregnancy. Once in the tissue, it forms an abscess, producing a hard, red to reddish-purple lump, often on the jaw, from which comes the condition's common name, "lumpy jaw." Eventually, the abscess breaks through the skin surface to produce a draining sinus tract.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Contact a doctor once you have the symptoms

Diagnosis

  • Culture of the tissue or fluid shows Actinomyces species.
  • Examination of drained fluid under a microscope shows "sulfur granules" in the fluid. They are yellowish granules made of clumped organisms.
  • Examination under a microscope shows the Actinomyces species of bacteria.

Treatment options

Treatment of actinomycosis usually requires antibiotics for several months to a year. Surgical drainage or removal of the lesion may be needed. If the condition is related to an IUD, the device must be removed.

Diseases with similar symptoms

Where to find medical care for (condition)?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

With treatment, you should recover fully.

Possible complications

Meningitis can rarely develop from this infection.

Sources


Template:WH Template:WS