A Case of Pelvic and Abdominal Actinomycosis Associated with Wearing an Intrauterine Device.

Jeon, Hyun Soo; Hong, Hye Jin; Chung, Byung Soon; Yun, Byung Il; Kim, So Joung; Kim, Sang Yun; Shin, Hyun Joon; Chung, Doo Yong

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2003;46(10):2096-2099.
Published online October 1, 2003.

A Case of Pelvic and Abdominal Actinomycosis Associated with Wearing an Intrauterine Device.

Hyun Soo Jeon, Hye Jin Hong, Byung Soon Chung, Byung Il Yun, So Joung Kim, Sang Yun Kim, Hyun Joon Shin, Doo Yong Chung

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.
²Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.
³Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.

Abstract

Actinomycosis, a rare disease entity in the upper genital tract, and caused by anaerobic bacteria, Actinomyces israelii, presents some difficulties in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis. Pelvic actinomycosis has been reported more frequently in women with intrauterine device (IUD). Actinomycosis may be confused with malignancy and other inflammatory diseases due to its infiltrative nature and tendency to invade normal anatomic barriers. So, cervicovaginal smear is recommended for all women wearing IUDs, and actinomyosis should be suspected in such patients suffering pelvic infections. We experienced a case of pelvic and abdominal actionomycosis complicated by tuboovarian abscess in a 52 year-old woman wearing IUD and report it with a brief review of related literatures.

Key Words: Actinomycosis, Intrauterine device (IUD)