Cerebellar, Lung, Cutaneous and Muscular Abscesses Secondary to Actinomyces meyeri: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Actinomycosis is an infrequent and chronic progressive granulomatous infection caused by Actinomyces spp [1-3]. It develops indurated masses formed by multiple abscesses, woody fibrosis, fistulization and suppuration of characteristic yellowish sulfur granules [1,2,4]. Clinical presentation are multiple. The most common sites of infection are cervico-facial (50%), abdominal (20%), and thoracic (15%). Pelvis, subcutaneous tissue, musculoskeletal and central nervous system can be infected in 15% of cases [5,6]. Frequently, it presents atypically, and it can be misdiagnosed as malignancy, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis [3, 7]. Actinomyces meyeri often causes pulmonary infection and shows a tendency for hematogenous dissemination [8]. Only in one patient of the 26 cases of actinomycosis due to Actinomyces meyeri reported between 1960 and 1995 described pneumonia, brain abscess and multiple skin abscesses [8,9].