Pericardial actinomycosis: case report and review

Pericardial Effusion in Association With Periodontitis: Case Report and Review of 8 Patients in Literature

Periodontal diseases are well-known background for infective endocarditis. Here, we show that pericardial effusion or pericarditis might have origin also in periodontal diseases. An 86-year-old man with well-controlled hypertension and diabetes mellitus developed asymptomatic increase in pericardial effusion. Two weeks previously, he took oral new quinolone antibiotics for a week because he had painful periodontitis along a dental bridge in the mandibular teeth on the right side and presented cheek swelling. The sputum was positive for Streptococcus species. He was healthy and had a small volume of pericardial effusion for the previous 5 years after drug-eluting coronary stents were inserted at the left anterior descending branch 10 years previously. The differential diagnoses listed for pericardial effusion were infection including tuberculosis, autoimmune diseases, and metastatic malignancy. Thoracic to pelvic computed tomographic scan demonstrated no mass lesions, except for pericardial effusion and a small volume of pleural effusion on the left side. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography disclosed many spotty uptakes in the pericardial effusion. The patient denied pericardiocentesis, based on his evaluation of the risk of the procedure. He was thus discharged in several days and followed at outpatient clinic. He underwent dental treatment and pericardial effusion resolved completely in a month. He was healthy in 6 years until the last follow-up at the age of 92 years. We also reviewed 8 patients with pericarditis in association with periodontal diseases in the literature to reveal that periodontal diseases would be the background for developing infective pericarditis and also mediastinitis on some occasions.

Pericardial mass: A rare form of cardiac actinomycosis case report

Actinomycosis is a rare chronic infection caused by a group of anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria which inhabits commonly the oral cavity, colon, and genitourinary tract. Actinomycosis of the thorax is the third most common form. Pericardial actinomycosis is an extremely rare condition. Actinomycosis is characterized by its tendency to mimic malignancy as it can invade surrounding tissue and form a mass. Multiple manifestations should be noted by physicians as a result of the large variety of symptoms and the involvement of multiple organ systems. With proper treatment, it has a good prognosis. We describe a patient with an unusual clinical form of cardiac actinomycosis presenting as an isolated pericardial mass resembling a malignant tumor.

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Actinomycotic infection is rare but treatable disease.

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Pericardial involvement in actinomycotic infection is rare.

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Cardiac actinomycosis is usually secondary to contiguous spread from a pulmonary focus.

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Prognosis is excellent if the infection is diagnosed early and treated appropriately.

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This is a rare case of isolated pericardial actinomycosis mimicking malignancy treated successfully with surgery and long term penicillin therapy.

Septic pericardial disease and mediastinal abscessation in a cat with an intrathoracic needle foreign body

OBJECTIVE

To describe the successful management of a cat with an intrathoracic sewing needle foreign body and septic pericardial effusion.

CASE SUMMARY

A 10-year-old neutered female domestic longhair cat was referred for an intrathoracic metallic foreign body identified via thoracic radiography. Two weeks prior, the cat may have ingested a sewing needle. She was presented hemodynamically unstable; point-of-care thoracic ultrasound identified pericardial effusion with right atrial tamponade. Pericardiocentesis stabilized hemodynamic parameters. The effusion was grossly purulent, and bacterial culture grew an Actinomyces sp. The cat underwent a median sternotomy to remove the foreign body, debride associated mediastinal abscesses, and perform a partial pericardiectomy. Over the next 10 days, the cat was managed in hospital with a left unilateral thoracostomy tube and intermittent lavage of the pleural cavity. The cat was discharged, and follow-up at 7 days showed no evidence of pericardial or pleural effusion.

NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED

Contrary to previous reports, this case shows that extra-gastrointestinal, specifically intrathoracic, sewing needle foreign bodies can cause significant morbidity in cats. To the authors' knowledge, this report is the first to describe septic pericardial disease resulting from documented foreign body ingestion in the cat. It is also the first case report of successful surgical management of mediastinal abscessation in the cat.

Percutaneous coronary intervention-associated Actinomyces oris

Coronary artery interventions are safe procedures yet have a risk of stent infection, bacteremia and sepsis, events that are rare but with high morbidity and mortality sequel. A few prior cases had reported post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) infections, abscesses and sepsis due to Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cardiac Actinomyces infections are extremely rare. Here we report a case of a 50 year old patient who developed a post intervention Actinomyces oris epicardial abscess occluding right coronary artery with subsequent bacteremia eventually requiring open heart surgery. He was treated during and thereafter with IV penicillin and ceftriaxone for almost 8 weeks. We highlight during this review the available literature regarding risk factors, the possible theories of acquiring such bacterium at this unusual site as well as our patient's course and treatment outcome.

"Pulmonary Actinomycosis attributable to Actinomyces meyeri presenting as cardiac tamponade: a case report"

BACKGROUND

Recently, it is reported that Actinomyces meyeri is the most common species causing actinomycosis. However, to our knowledge, there was no report about pulmonary actinomycosis attributable to A. meyeri presenting as cardiac tamponade.

CASE PRESENTATION

Hereby we describe a case of pulmonary actinomycosis attributable to A. meyeri presenting as cardiac tamponade. At first, the patient was diagnosed with bacterial pericarditis with lung abscess in the left lower lung lobe and underwent pericardial drainage. Three days after the removal of the drainage tube, atrial fibrillation followed by cardiac arrest with asystole occurred and immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation restored his circulation. Thereafter, he underwent pneumocentesis of the lung abscess and the culture grew A. meyeri. He was successfully treated with penicillin G.

CONCLUSION

This is the first case of pulmonary actinomycosis attributable to A. meyeri presenting as cardiac tamponade. We believe that an increased awareness of the disease is necessary to expedite diagnosis therefore minimizing morbidity and mortality.

Cardiac Tamponade Due to Actinomyces odontolyticus Originating From a Dentigerous Cyst

This report describes a rare case of pericardial effusion owing to Actinomyces odontolyticus in a 52-year-old woman that originated from a dentigerous cyst, which developed on the distal aspect of a lower left third molar. The cyst had remained asymptomatic for a long period, with no specific functional complications. This is the first case report of a patient with acute pericarditis in which the same strain of A odontolyticus was detected in an asymptomatic dentigerous cyst and in the pericardial fluid.

Primary hepatic actinomycosis presenting as purulent pericarditis with cardiac tamponade

Cardiac tamponade constitutes an exceptional form of actinomycosis. We describe a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis presenting as purulent pericarditis with cardiac tamponade in a 20-year-old patient with previous esophagectomy and colonic interposition, successfully managed by computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage and a prolonged course of antibiotic treatment. Actinomyces israelii was identified in the pericardial fluid by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The literature on the simultaneous presentation of cardiac and hepatic actinomycosis is reviewed.

Actinomycosis of the Pancreas: A Case Report and Review

Actinomyces is a normal commensal of the upper aerodigestive tract, colon and female reproductive tract. It can give rise to invasive disease in case of any breach in mucosal integrity, as well as, in patients with immunosuppression. Rarely, actinomycosis can involve the pancreas especially after episodes of pancreatitis or in post operative patients. We observed a case of actinomycosis affecting recurrent intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of pancreatic remnant, 5 years after a Whipple's procedure. Our patient, a 66 years old male with a history of Whipple's procedure for IPMN of pancreatic uncinate process, presented with repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis. Repeated radiological investigations (CT, MRI and EUS) revealed resolving pancreatitis with recurrent IPMN of the pancreatic tail. The patient underwent laparobotic assisted resection of the remnant pancreas and spleen 3 months later. Intraoperatively, in addition to the recurrent IPMN of pancreatic tail, we found a dense peripancreatic desmoplastic reaction with areas of thick yellow pus pockets in the remnant pancreatic body. Bacteriology and histopathology revealed it as a recurrent IPMN associated with actinomycosis of pancreas with chronic xanthogranulomatous changes. We conclude that actinomycosis of the pancreas is a rare entity with only 5 cases reported in English literature to the best of our knowledge. If diagnosed preoperatively, early institution of antibiotics can improve the surgical outcome. Fortunately, after diagnosis, we were able to start antibiotics in early postoperative period with successful outcome.

Purulent pericarditis: report of 2 cases and review of the literature

Purulent pericarditis, a localized infection within the pericardial space, has become a rare entity in the modern antibiotic era. Although historically a disease of children and young adults, this is no longer the case: the median age at the time of diagnosis has increased by nearly 30 years over the past 6 decades. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities, purulent pericarditis remains a life-threatening illness. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is made postmortem in more than half the cases. Thus, a high index of clinical suspicion is crucial. We present 2 cases of purulent pericarditis, and provide an updated review of other case series published over the past 60 years.

Actinomycosis: diagnosis and management

Actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic bacterial infection that induces both suppurative and granulomatous inflammation. Localized swelling with suppuration, abscess formation, tissue fibrosis, and sinus drainage characterizes this disease. The infection spreads contiguously, often forming draining sinuses that extrude characteristic but not pathognomonic "sulfur granules." Infections of the oral and cervicofacial regions are most common; however, any site in the body can be infected and it often mimics malignancy. Other regions that are often affected are the thoracic and abdominopelvic, as well as the central nervous system. Musculoskeletal and disseminated disease can also be seen, albeit rarely. Prolonged antimicrobial therapy with penicillin has typically been recommended for patients with all clinical forms of actinomycosis to prevent disease recrudescence.

Pericarditis caused by anaerobic bacteria

This review describes the microbiology, diagnosis and management of pericarditis due to anaerobic bacteria. The predominant anaerobes isolated from patients with pericarditis are Gram-negative bacilli (mostly Bacteroides fragilis group) as well as Peptostreptococcus, Clostridium, Fusobacterium, Bifidobacterium and Actinomyces spp. Anaerobic bacteria can be recovered from pericarditis resulting from the following mechanisms: (i) spread from a contiguous site of infection, either de novo or following surgery or trauma (pleuropulmonary, oesophageal fistula or perforation, and odontogenic); (ii) spread from a site of infection within the heart, most commonly from endocarditis; (iii) haematogenous infection; and (iv) direct inoculation resulting from a penetrating injury or cardiothoracic surgery. Anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli have increased their resistance to penicillins and other antimicrobial agents in the last two decades. Identification of pathogens and determination of their antimicrobial susceptibility and beta-lactamase production are essential for adequate selection of antibiotic therapy effective against these organisms.

Actinomycosis: a great pretender. Case reports of unusual presentations and a review of the literature

Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic disease caused by a group of anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria that normally colonize the mouth, colon, and urogenital tract. Infection involving the cervicofacial area is the most common clinical presentation, followed by pelvic region and thoracic involvement. Due to its propensity to mimic many other diseases and its wide variety of symptoms, clinicians should be aware of its multiple presentations and its ability to be a 'great pretender'. We describe herein three cases of unusual presentation: an inferior caval vein syndrome, an acute cholecystitis, and an acute cardiac tamponade. We review the literature on its epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Cardiac Actinomycosis: An Unusual Cause of an Intracardiac Mass

Actinomycosis is a chronic disease characterized by abscess formation, tissue fibrosis, and draining sinuses that may involve the cervicofacial area, thorax, abdominopelvic region, or central nervous system. We describe a patient with cardiac actinomycosis presenting with pericardial disease and an intracardiac mass. The diagnosis failed to be obtained by pericardiocentesis, but was obtained after echocardiographically guided biopsy of the intracardiac mass. The patient recovered with long-term penicillin therapy. A review of the literature highlights the frequent pericardial presentation of cardiac actinomycosis, the potential difficulty in making the diagnosis, and the remarkable clinical response and good prognosis that can result when the correct diagnosis is made and appropriate antibiotic therapy administered.

A rare case of Actinomyces israelii presenting as pericarditis in a 75-year-old man

Actinomyces israelii is a gram-positive bacillus that is rarely associated with infections in the general population. A. israelii belongs to the normal flora of the body and it rarely becomes pathogenic. Cardiac involvement is rare and in most cases involves the pericardium. Fewer than 20 cases of pericardial actinomycosis have been reported in the literature since 1950. We report the case of a 75-year-old man with a history of coronary artery disease with recent myocardial infarction and stent placement, atrial fibrillation, and recent colonic perforation with subsequent colectomy/colostomy who presented to our hospital with a 2-week history of left-sided chest pain. Workup revealed the presence of a pericardial effusion and pericarditis. Pericardial fluid analysis demonstrated A. israelii. An examination and discussion of the literature is performed regarding this rare manifestation of human actinomycosis.

Cardiac actinomycosis in a patient presenting with acute cardiac tamponade and a mass mimicking pericardial tumour

A case of pericardial actinomycosis mimicking a pericardial tumour is reported. After the appearance of non-specific subpleural pulmonary nodules, a 48 year old woman presented with fever and clinical signs of pericardial tamponade. Subxiphoid pericardiotomy yielded a culture negative fluid and inflammatory reactive histopathology in the pericardial biopsy specimen. Because of suspected infection cefamandole was administered for 10 days and the patient became afebrile. The pericardial effusion recurred with no clinical signs two weeks later. Steroid medication resulted in rapid regression of the pericardial effusion. Subsequent echocardiography controls showed a tumour-like pericardial mass, confirmed by cardiac magnetic imaging. Surgical exploration led to the final histological diagnosis of actinomycosis. After high dose and long term penicillin G treatment the patient recovered fully with no recurrence during two years' follow up.

[Actinomyces meyeri disseminated actinomycosis disclosing pulmonary carcinoma]

The diagnosis of severe actinomycosis parallel to that of neoplasia leads to speculation of a possible fortuitous association. Because underlying conditions such as immuno-suppression are suspected in such disease, and to strengthen this hypothesis, we report one more case of disseminated actinomycosis associated with a malignant disease, namely an epidermoid pulmonary carcinoma. The diagnosis was made by thoracotomy a few months after the infectious episode. Two years later the patient recovered. The analysis of the literature data is in favor of a fortuitous association between both diagnoses.

Pleural effusion as the major manifestation of actinomycosis

Pleural effusion represents an unusual but significant manifestation of actinomycosis, as illustrated in this case presentation. The diagnosis was made after bronchoscopy and examination of bronchoalveolar fluid and culture. No parenchymal abnormality was noted on the chest film.

Diagnosis and management of pericardial abscess in trauma patients

Pericardial infection is an uncommon clinical entity after traumatic injury. Although invasive intervention is rarely necessary for mild pericardial inflammation, pericardial abscess can be life-threatening. The charts of 27 patients with pericarditis requiring management in the intensive care unit and/or invasive intervention at Harborview Medical Center during a 10-year period were reviewed. Six cases of trauma-related pericarditis were identified, including three cases of pericardial abscess following torso trauma without initial cardiac or pericardial injury. Pericardial abscess following trauma was associated with the sepsis syndrome and multiple system organ failure (MSOF) in all patients. Computed tomography and pericardiocentesis were useful diagnostic adjuncts. All patients required thoracotomy for pericardial drainage and pericardiectomy. Successful surgical management of pericardial abscess contributed to the resolution of sepsis, multiple end-organ dysfunction and, ultimately, patient survival in all cases. We conclude that pericardial abscess, although rare, should be considered a potential occult site of sepsis capable of driving MSOF in trauma patients. Expedient diagnosis and surgical drainage are essential for successful patient outcome.