title: [Two cases of actinomycosis].
abstract: Actinomycosis is a bacterial infection due to Gram-positive bacteria of the Actinomyces genus. The authors describe two cases: one of them occurred in a woman with a clinical presentation of a right submandibular indurative mass. After surgery, histological examination showed a granulomatous tissue with many actinomycetes. The second case was observed in a man admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of pulmonary heteroplastic lesion. Also in this case, histological examination showed many actinomycotic colonies. Actinomycosis is an uncommon disease. Establishment of definite diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion in all cases of relapsing cervical lesions. Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare diagnosis; respiratory physicians should be aware of this important differential when investigating patients for persistent pulmonary shadowing.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Infettiva e Virologia, Università di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scarlata
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Infurnari
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Li Vecchi
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Librizzi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lipani
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marasa
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged