Journal List > Pediatr Infect Vaccine > v.25(3) > 1109154

Choi, Bang, Oh, and Lee: Abdominal Actinomycosis Mimicking Acute Appendicitis in Children: a Case Report

Abstract

Actinomyces are anaerobic, Gram-positive bacteria that are part of the endogenous flora of mucous membranes in humans. Infection caused by these bacteria is termed actinomycosis. The 3 most common types of actinomycosis are cervicofacial, abdominopelvic, and pulmonary. A previously healthy 6-year-old boy presented with the emergency room with fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain and initially diagnosed with acute appendicitis. Exploratory laparoscopy was done. Histologic finding demonstrated acute gangrenous appendicitis complicated by perforation and sulfur granules compatible with actinomycosis. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with abdominal actinomycosis and received long-term antibiotic therapy. Abdominal actinomycosis is uncommon in children and difficult to diagnose because of its nonspecific symptoms and of difficulties in growing Actinomyces in the clinical setting. It is necessary to include abdominal actinomycosis as a differential diagnosis of children presenting with abdominal pain.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

(A) Acute gangrenous appendicitis with actinomycotic colonies characterized by sulfur granules (H&E stain, ×40). (B) Sulfur granules with black bacterial filaments (GMS stain, ×400).

Abbreviations: H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; GMS, gomori methenamine-silver stain.
piv-25-170-g001

Notes

Conflict of Interest No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Author Contributions

  • Conceptualization: Choi SK, Lee J.

  • Data curation: Choi SK.

  • Formal analysis: Choi SK.

  • Investigation: Choi SK, Bang YG, Oh H, Lee J.

  • Methodology: Choi SK, Bang YG, Oh H.

  • Project administration: Choi SK, Bang YG.

  • Resources: Choi SK, Bang YG, Oh H.

  • Software: Choi SK, Bang YG.

  • Supervision: Lee J.

  • Validation: Lee J, Oh H.

  • Visualization: Choi SK, Lee J.

  • Writing - original draft: Choi SK.

  • Writing - review & editing: Lee J.

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ORCID iDs

Sik Kyung Choi
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5492-2156

Yun Gyu Bang
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5851-2995

Hyeonsik Oh
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5234-6033

Jin Lee
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6039-2224

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