Hépato-Gastro & Oncologie Digestive
MENUGastrointestinal actinomycosis Volume 25, issue 1, Janvier 2018
- Key words: gastrointestinal actinomycosis, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, treatment
- DOI : 10.1684/hpg.2017.1558
- Page(s) : 21-9
- Published in: 2018
Gastrointestinal actinomycosis is a rare and often underdiagnosed infection caused by a slow growing saprophytic bacterium responsible for an indolent organ infiltration. It is often mistaken with a tumor leading to unjustified surgery. Ideally, the diagnosis should be envisaged in cases of chronic inflammation with morphologic signs of tumoral pseudo-invasion of undetermined origin. To avoid an unjustified or even deleterious surgical procedure, actinomycosis should be evoked precociously, by performing bacteriological or histological analyses that must be repeated when necessary. The laboratory should be aware of the suspected bacteria thus being able to perform prolonged anaerobic cultures after a quick transfer. The key treatment is based on prolonged administration of amoxicillin. Surgery is reserved only for complicated forms.
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