title: Actinomyces meyeri infection: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Actinomyces meyeri is an uncommon cause of actinomycosis. We present a patient with pneumonia and empyema due to A. meyeri. The patient underwent open thoracotomy with decortication and was discharged home on a twelve-month course of oral penicillin. Review of the English literature revealed thirty-two cases of infection due to A. meyeri. The majority of patients were male, and a significant number had poor dental hygiene and a history of alcoholism. More than other Actinomyces species, A. meyeri causes pulmonary infection and has a predilection for dissemination. Prognosis is favorable with prolonged penicillin therapy combined with surgical debridement, if needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. fazilit@upstate.edu
authors.forename: Tasaduq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fazili
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riddell
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiska
authors.forename: Shehzadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagra
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004653:Empyema / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins