Cervical spinal cord compression in a child with cervicofacial actinomycosis

Abstract

Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic, suppurative, and slowly progressive granulomatous disease caused by a group of filamentous gram-positive anaerobic bacteria belonging to the normal flora of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. It may involve several organs; however, spinal cord compression has rarely been reported. We report a 7-year-3-month-old girl who suffered from neck pain with restricted movement, poor appetite, body weight loss, mild right limbs weakness, and a non-tender neck mass. Histopathology of the neck mass revealed sulfur granules of actinomyces. Since actinomycosis was strongly suspected, she was treated with high dose of parenteral penicillin G followed by oral penicillin with complete recovery. The unusual features of our case suggested that actinomycosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of neck mass and cervical spinal cord compression.