Abdominal actinomycosis: about four cases

ABSTRACT

The abdominal actinomycosis [AA] is a rare and often unrecognised suppurative chronic illness. It is caused by an anaerobic positive Gram bacteria; Actinomyces israeli Abdominal actinomycosis is responsible of pseudotumoral syndrome in the most of the time leading in the doubt of a neoplasia, to a large and mutilating extraction surgery whereas a prolonged treatment by antibiotics would have permitted to heal the illness. The diagnosis is obtained generally from anatomopathologic exam. We report 4 cases of abdominal actinomycosis being revealed by a pseudotumoral syndrome. The diagnosis has only been made after surgery. In spite of an active treatment by antibiotics during several months, two of our patients had recidivism of their actinomycosis. These 4 observations confirm the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties already reported by other authors