A Case of Aspergillosis and Actinomycosis of Each Side of Maxillary Sinuses / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Aspergillosis or actinomycosis is a very rare disease of paranasal sinuses. It is an infectious bacterial disease caused by actinomyces species, which is a gram-positive, anaerobic bacillus. Although actinomyces species are part of the normal flora commensal in the oral cavity or GI tract, they, in rare cases, they can invade the mucosa and form a fistula or an abscess once the mucous membrane is damaged by inflammation or trauma. Aspergillosis is a fungal infection, and the frequency of its outbreaks has been increasing because diagnostic techniques have been improved, and the use of antibiotic, steroid and anticancer medicines have increased as well as the growth of incidence of metabolic diseases. The diagnosis of Aspergillosis is to be confirmed by pathologic findings after surgery. Sulfur granules are histologically observed for actinomycosis, and 45° branched hyphae are to be found for Aspergillosis. This describes the first case reported in Korea where actinomycosis and Aspergillosis was diagnosed separately at each side of maxillary sinuses.