A rare case of abdominal actinomycosis mimicking right iliac fossa mass

Abstract

Abdominal actinomycosisis a chronic suppurative infection caused by actinomyces species commonly misdiagnosed as carcinomatous growth. The infection has a tendency to infiltrate adjacent tissues and is therefore rarely confined to a single organ. Herein, 53 year old male was presenting with right subacute intestinal obstruction. Surgery revealed infiltrative bowel mass involving the small bowel mesentry invoving distal ileum, strongly suggestive of malignancy. The patient underwent a right hemicolectomy with oncological principles and the histological examination of the specimen revealed ileocolic actinomycosis. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult to differentiate from malignancy. In any inflammatory or infiltrative bowel mass the differential diagnosis of actinomycosis should be considered and enabling accurate diagnosis.