title: Actinomycosis of the middle ear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the first case of middle-ear actinomycosis in the UK in the last 60 years. The diagnosis and management of actinomycosis of the middle ear is also presented, as well as a review of the recent literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper reports the case of a nine-year-old girl who presented with recurrent otorrhoea caused by actinomycosis. Mastoid exploration with clearance of the infected tissue, in conjunction with six months amoxicillin, resulted in long-term disease remission. Histology revealed Gram-positive, silver avid (on Grocott staining) and diastase-resistant periodic acid-Schiff negative staining of colonies; this profile was in keeping with the characteristic 'sulphur granules' of actinomycosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Actinomycosis of the middle ear and mastoid is rare, with less than 45 cases presented in the worldwide literature. This case confirms that the disease should be treated with full surgical clearance and long-term antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. peterkullar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kullar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yates
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000658:Amoxicillin