Pleural actinomycosis
Updates to Freetext Attributes
Pathology / Microbiology Investigations
The patient underwent ultrasound assisted biopsy of the right pleural mass and a chest drain was inserted to the right sided pleural collection.
Microscopy:Sections show multiple core biopsies which consist largely of fibrous connective tissue. There is an infiltrate of mixed inflammatory cells which are predominantly plasma cells but with aggregates of neutrophil polymorphs and scattered lymphocytes. In one core biopsy there is a cluster of actinomyces-like organisms. The overall appearances appear inflammatory in nature and raise the possibility of an infective aetiology.Further info: ISH for Kappa and Lambda show the plasma cell population to bepolyclonal. Special stains for organisms highlight Gram positive PASpositive bacterial colonies.
Pleural Fluid:CULTURE RESULT:a) Fusobacterium nucleatum - Isolatedb) Actinomyces meyeri - Isolated