Pulmonary actinomycosis

Alternative names:

actinomycosis pulmonary

Definition:

An infection caused by Actinomyces israelii or related actinomycete bacteria that causes disease of the chest, mouth and jaw, and pelvis.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The organism causing the disease normally is found in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract of humans. Poor dental hygiene and dental abscess may predispose it to facial lesions. In the chest, it results in cavities in the lung and pleural effusion, which may spread through the chest wall and produce sinuses. The disease is rare, and the incidence is 5 out of 10 million people. It is very rare in children.