Abstract

Actinomycosis is a rare entity, caused by an anaerobic bacterium, Actinomyces israelii, which is a component of the human oral and gastrointestinal flora. The commonest site of the disease is cervicofacial region. Abdomen is the second commonest site. In abdominal actinomycosis the disease is almost always unifocal and is restricted to the right colon, especially to the caecum. We here report a case of a patient with a very rare form of this entity, characterized by multiple foci of abdominal involvement with the most severe lesion localized in the transverse colon. The clinical picture resembled a picture of colonic carcinoma and the diagnosis was made by histopathological examination of the lesion removed at surgery. No predisposing factor was found. The infection was successfully treated with a prolonged course of antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline), after surgical removal of the lesion.