Primary hepatic actinomycosis presenting as purulent pericarditis with cardiac tamponade

Infection. 2012 Jun;40(3):339-41. doi: 10.1007/s15010-011-0200-y. Epub 2011 Oct 15.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actinomyces / genetics
  • Actinomyces / isolation & purification*
  • Actinomycosis / diagnosis
  • Actinomycosis / drug therapy
  • Actinomycosis / microbiology
  • Actinomycosis / therapy*
  • Amoxicillin / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cardiac Tamponade / diagnosis
  • Cardiac Tamponade / drug therapy
  • Cardiac Tamponade / microbiology*
  • Cardiac Tamponade / therapy
  • Cardiovascular Infections / drug therapy
  • Cardiovascular Infections / microbiology
  • Cardiovascular Infections / therapy
  • Clavulanic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Drainage
  • Humans
  • Liver Abscess, Pyogenic / drug therapy
  • Liver Abscess, Pyogenic / microbiology
  • Liver Abscess, Pyogenic / therapy
  • Male
  • Pericardial Effusion / drug therapy
  • Pericardial Effusion / microbiology
  • Pericardial Effusion / therapy
  • Pericarditis / diagnosis
  • Pericarditis / drug therapy
  • Pericarditis / microbiology*
  • Pericarditis / therapy
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis
  • Rare Diseases
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Clavulanic Acid
  • Amoxicillin