title: Primary laryngeal actinomycosis in an immunosuppressed woman: a case report.
abstract: We report a rare case of primary laryngeal actinomycosis, which occurred in a 35-year-old woman with end-stage renal failure secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus with membranous glomerulonephritis. The patient, who had been on long-term immunosuppression therapy, presented with hoarseness. Flexible laryngoscopy detected the presence of a granular glottic mass at the anterior commissure of the larynx. Histology revealed actinomycotic organisms associated with an abscess. The patient was treated with a prolonged course of oral penicillin V and speech therapy, and her dysphonia resolved almost completely. Although actinomycotic infection of the larynx is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hoarseness in an immunocompromised patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Southend University Hospital, Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 0RY, UK. tabed181@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abed
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Gavin W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Watters
mesh_terms: D000196:Actinomycosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D007827:Laryngitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents