2008, Number 3
Enf Infec Microbiol 2008; 28 (3)
Thoracic actinomycosis mimicking a mediastinal mass in an 11 year old boy
Peregrino BL, Vázquez LR, Caballero TA, Gil VM, Flores RE
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Language: Spanish
References: 7
Page: 121-123
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ABSTRACT
Actinomicosis is a disease caused by an anaerobic bacterium, Actinomyces. In pediatric patients actinomicosis is rare, and diagnosis is difficult because clinical findings may be present in other diseases. Thoracic location corresponds to 15% of all cases. It has low mortality if diagnosis is early and treatment is adequate.We present a case of an 11 year old boy from Chiapas. He had chronic malnutrition, without other important diseases; he had left thoracic pain and loss of weigth. Clinically he had a left apical condensation syndrome. Tomographic exploration revealed a mediastinal opacity and a tumor was suspected. A thoracotomy was performed and a lung dependent tumor was resected. Anatomopathologic diagnosis corresponded to actinomicosys. Intravenous ampicilline was administrated for four weeks followed by oral penicilline for six more months.
Thoracic actinomycosis is a disease with no pathognomonic signs, therefore in patients with lung or mediastinal tumor it most be considered as a differential diagnosis
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