title: Actinomycotic infection of the abdominal wall mimicking a malignant neoplasm.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Actinomyces infections can create diagnostic dilemmas and be mistaken for malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report and review of the pertinent English-language literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 44-year-old man who had undergone an appendectomy for perforated appendicitis presented three years later with an abdominal wall mass. He had been treated postoperatively for an abdominal wall infection with Actinomyces. Given his poor response to antibiotics and a diagnostic work-up that could not definitively rule out a malignant tumor, a wide local excision was performed. Microscopic examination revealed sulfur granules consistent with Actinomyces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the current recommendation is to treat Actinomyces infections with antibiotics, there may be a role for surgical intervention if the response to antibiotics has been suboptimal or a malignant process cannot be ruled out.
authors: Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA.
authors: Fia
authors: F
authors: Yi
authors: Srinivas
authors: S
authors: Prasad
authors: Francis
authors: F
authors: Sharkey
authors: Morton
authors: M
authors: Kahlenberg
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000473:pathology*; D000190:Actinomyces / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents