[Abdominopelvic actinomycosis]

Intrauterine device infection causing concomitant streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and pelvic abscess with Actinomyces odontolyticus bacteraemia

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are rarely associated with serious infections. We report an unusual concomitant infection of group A Streptococcus (GAS) causing toxic shock syndrome and pelvic abscess with Actinomyces odontolyticus associated with an IUD in a healthy 50-year-old patient. The IUD was subsequently removed and the patient recovered on the appropriate antibiotics. This case highlights the importance of clinicians' high index of suspicion of an IUD infection and prompt removal of the infected foreign body to obtain source control.

[Pseudo tumor pelvic actinomycosis associated with intrauterine device: report of three cases]

L'actinomycose est une maladie chronique suppurative granulomateuse d'origine infectieuse responsable d'un syndrome tumoral. La localisation pelvienne est rare et souvent associée, chez la femme, au port au long court du dispositif intra-utérin (DIU). Le diagnostic préopératoire n'est possible que dans 17% des cas. Nous rapportons trois observations, d'actinomycose pelvienne pseudo tumorale compliquées chez des femmes porteuses de DIU, qui illustrent le rôle de ce moyen de contraception dans la genèse de cette pathologie ainsi que les difficultés de prise en charge.

Actinomycose abdominopelvienne : un syndrome tumoral lié à une bactérie

The purpose of this review is to define the diagnostic steps and treatment of abdominopelvic actinomycosis. Three cases are described which illustrate the variety of clinical presentations ranging from acute peritonitis to chronic pseudo-tumor. The diagnosis of actinomycosis is rarely made pre-operatively. Bacteriologic culture is seldom helpful and imagery findings are non-specific. The diagnosis is usually made retrospectively based on histologic examination. In women, an intrauterine contraceptive device is often a concomitant factor. Long-term antibiotic treatment (several Months) with high-dose penicillin-based medications is the mainstay of therapy. Despite a high risk of complications, surgery is often necessary both for diagnosis and treatment. Resection or drainage may diminish the dosage and duration of antibiotic therapy, and helps to minimize infectious complications. Actinomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of abdominopelvic tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, and endometriosis-particularly in a woman with an intrauterine contraceptive device.

[Tubo-ovarian actinomycosis ruptured in the sigmoid colon]

Actinomyces is an anaerobic, gram-positive bacteria saprophyte of the oral cavity, lungs, genital and gastro-intestinal tracts. Tubo-ovarian infection is rare. The authors report a case of tubo-ovarian abscess, due to actinomyces ruptured in the sigmoid and diagnosed in a 30-year-old woman using an intra-uterine device for more than 5 years. After salpingo-oophorectomy and partial sigmoid resection, pathology confirmed the diagnosis.