title: Actinomycosis: an often forgotten diagnosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Randolph H L
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Alan D L
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sihoe
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Thung
authors.forename: Innes Y P
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Margaret B Y
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.forename: Anthony P C
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yim
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D011424:Propionibacterium; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013909:Thorax / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed