title: Actinomycosis mimicking a tonsillar neoplasm in an elderly diabetic patient.
abstract: Actinomycosis is a slowly progressive infection that can occur anywhere in the body. Three distinct clinical entities are described: cervico-facial, abdomino-pelvic and thoracopulmonary. Actinomyces are anaerobic, gram positive, non-acid-fast, branched filamentous bacteria that form part of the normal oral, colonic and vaginal flora of humans. The cervico-facial form of the disease is commonest and results from direct invasion of commensal oral actinomyces into local tissues. The most frequently isolated species is A. israelii. We describe a case where Actinomycosis caused massive unilateral hypertrophy of the tonsil, mimicking neoplasia. This is an unusual presentation of Actinomycosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head& Neck Surgery, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samant
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandoe
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: High
authors.forename: Zvoru G G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Makura
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000382:microbiology*