title: Actinomyces turicensis infection mimicking ovarian tumour.
abstract: This case report explores an unusual presentation of a commensal organism, Actinomyces, which mimicked a presentation of ovarian cancer. A 73-year-old woman presented to a tertiary level hospital with persistent left iliac fossa abdominal pain, anorexia and fever lasting over one week, with a three-month history of bright rectal bleeding. Imaging was suggestive of malignancy. Fine needle aspiration of an enlarged lymph node was non-diagnostic. Blood cultures taken at presentation became positive after two days for Gram-positive rods, which were most likely Actinomyces. The patient was treated with penicillin 1.8 g four hourly with rapid improvement. Actinomycosis is frequently misdiagnosed as malignancy initially due to its relatively indolent course. Lesions often resolve with antibiotics, without the need for surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Canberra Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senanayake
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000378:metabolism*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D010406:Penicillins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein