Rare presentation of actinomycosis as an abdominal mass: report of a case.

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to report an unusual presentation of abdominal actinomycosis masquerading as a tumor. The patient was a 54-year-old male who presented with vague abdominal discomfort and a palpable left lower quadrant mass defined on CT scan. Multiple intraoperative core biopsies were nondiagnostic, and he underwent en bloc resection of the mass and adjacent organs for a presumed tumor. Examination of tissue from deep within the excised specimen revealed sulfur granules diagnostic for actinomycosis. Abdominal actinomycosis is an extremely rare infection that can mimic multiple disease processes and requires accurate diagnosis for successful therapy. This novel presentation and a review of the literature are reported.