Subcutaneous Fistulae in a Patient with Femoral Hypoplasia due to Actinomyces europaeus and Actinomyces turicensis

• Published in: Infection Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 289 - 291
• Main Authors: Zautner, A. E, Schmitz, S, Aepinus, C, Schmialek, A, Podbielski, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Munchen Munchen : Urban and Vogel 01-06-2009; Urban and Vogel; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Actinomyces - classification; Actinomyces - isolation & purification; Actinomycosis - complications; Actinomycosis - drug therapy; Actinomycosis - surgery; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Case Report; Cefuroxime - therapeutic use; Family Medicine; Femur - abnormalities; Fistula - etiology; Fistula - microbiology; Fistula - therapy; General Practice; Humans; Immunocompetence; Infectious Diseases; Internal Medicine; Knee Joint - microbiology; Lower Extremity Deformities, Congenital - complications; Lower Extremity Deformities, Congenital - surgery; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; RNA, Bacterial - analysis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; Soft Tissue Infections - complications; Soft Tissue Infections - drug therapy; Surgical Wound Infection - complications; Vancomycin - therapeutic use; Young Adult; Actinomyces; Cefuroxime; Pilonidal Sinus; Coryneform Bacterium; Actinomycosis
• ISSN: 0300-8126; 1439-0973
• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-008-7392-9

Infections due to Actinomyces europaeus or Actinomyces turicensis have only rarely been reported. We describe a case of chronic fistulae caused by a coinfection with A. europaeus and A. turicensis in an immunocompetent male patient with a severe congenital femur hypoplasia. Actinomycosis is most probably the consequence of a postoperative wound infection after a prior surgical intervention. Both Actinomyces species were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The Actinomyces-caused fistulae were treated by excision and a 1-week course of i.v. vancomycin followed by a 1-week course of p.o. cefuroxime.