Actinomycotic lacrimal canaliculitis: a rare case report

Actinomyces israelii is a gram-positive anaerobic organism commonly associated with canaliculitis in adults. Actinomyces are normal commensal bacteria in humans and primarily cause opportunistic infections during immunosuppressive state or when loss of continuity of epithelial lining in mucosa occurs. Lacrimal canaliculitis is a relatively rare condition and is undiagnosed for long periods of time. Being a relatively rare condition, it is commonly overlooked and undiagnosed for long periods of time. Primary chronic canaliculitis is an uncommon problem and Actinomycosis may form in up to 2% of all lacrimal disease. Here present study reports a case of lacrimal canaliculitis caused by Actinomyces israelii.

Unilateral Maxillary Sinus Actinomycosis with a Closed Oroantral Fistula

Actinomycosis is a bacterial infection due to Actinomyces israelii, a gram-positive, anaerobic organism that normally affects the cervicofacial region. However, facial injury or trauma (i.e., dental procedures) can allow this bacteria to inhabit other regions. There have been rare reports of actinomycosis of the paranasal sinuses. We present a case of a 50-year-old female who originally presented with a suspected oroantral fistula who subsequently was found to have actinomycosis involving her right maxillary sinus. Additionally, the dental extraction site revealed no connection with the maxillary sinus. We discuss the diagnostic approach and management of this patient as it relates to the limited existing literature.

Eikenella corrodens

It is thought that the first person to describe the organism subsequently known as Eikenella corrodens was Sverre Henriksen, who in 1948 reported the isolation of three gram-negative anaerobic rods with concentrically spreading colonies and a tendency to pit the agar. This corroding of the agar was seen most reliably with strain AJ, a nonmotile organism isolated from a perineal abscess. Two years later, Per Holm found that a gram-negative anaerobic organism resembling the influenza bacillus was often isolated from specimens of pus, examined for the presence of actinomycetes. Because of its appearance on blood agar, Holm proposed calling this organism the “corroding bacillus.” In 1958, Eiken studied 1,097 anaerobes isolated from 798 patients; of these, 61 corresponded in colony and microscopic morphology with the corroding bacillus.