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Actinomycosis oto-mastoiditis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

M. Ajal
Affiliation:
Department of Neuro-Otology/Skull Base Surgery, St Vincent' Hospital, Sydney, Australia
J. Turner
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent' Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Paul Fagan*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuro-Otology/Skull Base Surgery, St Vincent' Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Paul Walker
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, John Hopkins Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Mr P. Fagan, 352 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010Australia

Abstract

Actinomycosis of the temporal bone is uncommon. There have only been 24 cases previously reported in the English literature. The responsible organism is Actinomyces israelii, an anaerobic filamentous Gram positive bacterium. While the cervico-facial region is the most common site of the disease, involvement of the temporal bone is rare. The diagnosis can sometimes be made clinically by identification of sulphur granules in a glue-like substrate but in all cases involving the temporal bone, the diagnosis has been made at histopathology. Effective therapy consists of surgery followed by the long-term administration of penicillin.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1997

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