Advances in the diagnostics and therapy of cervicofacial actinomycoses: a literature summary

Abstract

Members of the Actinomyces genus are saprophytic components of the normal microbiota of humans. Actinomyces spp. infections are considered to be rare, with cervicofacial infections (frequently called as ‘lumpy jaw syndrome’) described as the most prevalent type in the clinical practice. Actinomycoses may resemble other pathologies, such as solid tumors or other infectious processes. These infections are characterized by a slowly progressing infection, with non-specific symptoms. The clinical diagnosis of actinomycosis may be difficult and it requires a plethora of clinical, microbiological and histopathological examination methods. The aim of this review is to summarize current advances on the clinical features, diagnostics and therapy of cervicofacial Actinomyces infections for dental specialists.

Keywords

• actinomycosis
• cervicofacial
• therapy
• diagnostics
• microbiology