A Case of Actinomycosis in the Neck

Abstract

Actinomycosis is an unusual inflammatory disease caused primarily by Actinomyces israelii, which is one of the Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria. The disease is characterized by an unclear border, board-like swelling and multiple abscess, so it is similar to a malignant tumor and the diagnosis of the disease is difficult. We report on a suspected case of actinomycosis in the neck based on an abscess smear. The patient, a 67-year-old man, visited our hospital with a swelling on his right neck. A smear of the neck abscess was characteristic of Actinomyces, but the smear culture showed no bacteria. We resected the neck mass under general anesthesia, and diagnosed this case as actinomycosis based on the pathological findings. After surgery, we prescribed amoxcillin (AMPC) for 3 months, and the patient has shown no sign of recurrence.