Actinomycosis

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Actinomycosis (lumpy jaw)

Lumpy jaw

• A swelling or hard, red-to-reddish-purple lump on the face or upper neck (see neck lumps)
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Pain is minimal to absent
• Draining sores in the skin, particularly those on the chest wall resulting from lung infection with Actinomyces

• Examination of drained fluid under a microscope shows "sulfur granules" in the fluid. They are yellowish granules composed of clumped organisms.
• Examination under a microscope shows the presence of Actinomyces species of bacteria
• A culture of the tissue or fluid shows Actinomyces species.

Review Date: 02/13/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.