Turkish Journal of Pathology

Türk Patoloji Dergisi

Turkish Journal of Pathology

Turkish Journal of Pathology

2017, Vol 33, Num, 3     (Pages: 256-258)

Mandibular Actinomyces Infection Mimicking a Malignancy: Case Report

Gülay BULUT 1, Yasemin BAYRAM 2, Mehmet Deniz BULUT 3, Mehmet Fatih GARÇA 4, İrfan BAYRAM 1

1 Departments of Pathology, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, VAN, TURKEY
2 Departments of Microbiology, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, VAN, TURKEY
3 Departments of Radiology, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, VAN, TURKEY
4 Departments of Otorhinolaryngology, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, VAN, TURKEY

DOI: 10.5146/tjpath.2014.01276
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Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic, suppurative and granulomatous disease caused by Actinomyces israelii, which is a filamentous, anaerobic, gram-positive, saprophytic organism in the oral cavity. Diagnosis of actinomycosis depends on positive culture or identification of Actinomyces colonies and sulfur granules in histological specimens. In our case, a mass had been growing in the mandible for eight months. The mass appeared to be malignant, both clinically and radiologically. A histopathological examination of the mandible revealed actinomycosis. It should be noted that actinomycosis can mimic a malignancy, and for differential diagnosis, bone biopsy or fine-needle aspiration should be performed pre-operatively.

Keywords : Cervicofacial actinomycosis, Pathology, Mandible