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Alternative names Return to top
Lumpy jawDefinition Return to top
Actinomycosis is a chronic infection, commonly of the face and neck, that produces abscesses and open draining sinuses.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Actinomycosis is usually caused by an anaerobic (disliking oxygen) bacterium called Actinomyces israelii, which is a common and normally nonpathogenic (not disease-causing) organism found in the nose and throat.
Because of the bacterium's normal location in the nose and throat, actinomycosis most commonly appears in the face and neck. And since it is normal for people to carry this organism, the infection is not contagious.
Actinomyces produces disease when it is introduced into the facial tissues by trauma, surgery, or infection. A common cause is dental abscess or oral surgery. Once in the tissue, it forms an abscess, producing a hard, red-to-reddish-purple lump, often on the jaw, from which comes the condition's common name, "lumpy jaw."
Eventually, the abscess breaks through the skin surface to produce a draining sinus tract. Actinomycosis may occasionally occur in the chest (pulmonary actinomycosis) and abdomen or other areas of the body.
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
Treatment Return to top
Treatment for actinomycosis is long-term, with 1 to 2 months of penicillin given through a vein, followed by 6 to 12 months of penicillin taken by mouth. Other drugs have also been effective.
Note: Doxycycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have erupted. It can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.
Surgical drainage of the lesion may be required.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Full recovery is expected with treatment.
Complications Return to top
Meningitis can develop from this infection.
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call your health care provider if you develop any of the symptoms of this disorder. Beginning treatment promptly helps quicken the recovery.
Prevention Return to top
Maintain good oral hygiene. See your dentist regularly.
Update Date: 2/3/2004 Updated by: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |