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Actinomycosis: An Often Forgotten Diagnosis

Department of Surgery
¹ Department of Microbiology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

For reprint information contact: Anthony PC Yim, FACS Tel: 852 2632 2629 Fax: 852 2647 8273 Email: yimap{at}cuhk.edu.hk Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China.

We report a case of actinomycosis presenting as a chest wall mass in a 35 year-old man. Thoracic actinomycosis poses a diagnostic challenge to clinicians not only because it is uncommon and often forgotten, but also because culture of the causative microbes is technically difficult. The classic microscopic appearance of this Gram-positive bacteria associated with surrounding sulfur granules often forms the basis of diagnosis.