Actinomyces turicensis: An unusual cause of cervicofacial actinomycosis presenting as ludwig angina in an immunocompromised host - Case report and literature review

Brain abscess caused by Actinomyces turicensis in a non-immunocompromised adult patient: a case report and systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Actinomyces turicensis is rarely responsible of clinically relevant infections in human. Infection is often misdiagnosed as malignancy, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis, therefore delaying the correct identification and treatment. Here we report a case of a 55-year-old immunocompetent adult with brain abscess caused by A. turicensis. A systematic review of A. turicensis infections was performed.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The databases MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Clinicaltrials.gov and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH) were searched for all relevant literature.

RESULTS

Search identified 47 eligible records, for a total of 67 patients. A. turicensis infection was most frequently reported in the anogenital area (n = 21), causing acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) including Fournier's gangrene (n = 12), pulmonary infections (n = 8), gynecological infections (n = 6), cervicofacial district infections (n = 5), intrabdominal or breast infections (n = 8), urinary tract infections (n = 3), vertebral column infections (n = 2) central nervous system infections (n = 2), endocarditis (n = 1). Infections were mostly presenting as abscesses (n = 36), with or without concomitant bacteremia (n = 7). Fever and local signs of inflammation were present in over 60% of the cases. Treatment usually involved surgical drainage followed by antibiotic therapy (n = 51). Antimicrobial treatments most frequently included amoxicillin (+clavulanate), ampicillin/sulbactam, metronidazole or cephalosporins. Eighty-nine percent of the patients underwent a full recovery. Two fatal cases were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, we hereby present the first case of a brain abscess caused by A. turicensis and P. mirabilis. Brain involvement by A. turicensis is rare and may result from hematogenous spread or by dissemination of a contiguous infection. The infection might be difficult to diagnose and therefore treatment may be delayed. Nevertheless, the pathogen is often readily treatable. Diagnosis of actinomycosis is challenging and requires prompt microbiological identification. Surgical excision and drainage and antibiotic treatment usually allow for full recovery.

Odontogenic Cervicofacial Necrotizing Fasciitis: Microbiological Characterization and Management of Four Clinical Cases

Necrotizing fasciitis of the head and neck is a rare, very severe disease, which, in most cases, originates from odontogenic infections and frequently ends with the death of the patient. Rapid surgical intervention in combination with a preferably pathogen-specific antibiotic therapy can ensure patients’ survival. The question arises concerning which pathogens are causative for the necrotizing course of odontogenic inflammations. Experimental 16S-rRNA gene analysis with next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics was used to identify the microbiome of patients treated with an odontogenic necrotizing infection and compared to the result of the routine culture. Three of four patients survived the severe infection, and one patient died due to septic multiorgan failure. Microbiome determination revealed findings comparable to typical odontogenic abscesses. A specific pathogen which could be causative for the necrotizing course could not be identified. Early diagnosis and rapid surgical intervention and a preferably pathogen-specific antibiotic therapy, also covering the anaerobic spectrum of odontogenic infections, are the treatments of choice. The 16S-rRNA gene analysis detected significantly more bacteria than conventional methods; therefore, molecular methods should become a part of routine diagnostics in medical microbiology.

Actinomyces turicensis parapharyngeal space infection in an immunocompetent host: first case report and review of literature

Actinomyces are common commensals of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and urogenital tract. They are anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-acid-fast bacilli, which can cause invasive infection and abscesses. We present the first reported case of supraglottitis and deep neck space abscess formation secondary to Actinomyces turicensis infection. The patient was managed with intravenous antibiotics, incision and drainage of a left parapharyngeal abscess and subsequent mediastinal abscess. After 6 weeks in hospital, the patient was successfully discharged to complete a 6-month course of oral amoxicillin.