Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1997 Nov; 141(47): 2301-5.

[A patient with generalized actinomycosis]

Gerards AH, van den Bosch J, van Henten MJ, van Meyel JJ.

St. Lucas Andreas Ziekenhuis, afd. Inwendige Geneeskunde, Amsterdam.

A 36-year-old man was admitted because of haemoptysis and weight loss. Despite elaborate investigations, including multiple biopsies of affected organs (pleura, lung, kidney and liver) no diagnosis was established. The patient refused further diagnostic procedures and left hospital for winti treatment in Surinam. He did not take the prescribed pheneticillin and returned after seven weeks in a very poor condition. The second admission was complicated by septic shock. Despite intensive treatment he died. On autopsy actinomycosis abscesses were found in lung, liver and kidney. Even when suspected, an infection with Actinomyces is difficult to diagnose. Without adequate treatment this infection can lead to life-threatening complications.