Dermatopathology

Actinomycetoma

Actinomycetoma is a skin infection caused by a form of fungi. Infections in humans are rare, but the most common infected areas are the teeth, the lungs and the intestines.

Click images to begin the slideshow

Slide 1: 32 year-old woman with a large nodule of the Left neck. R/O epidermal inclusion cyst. Within the subcutaneous fat there is a striking inflammatory lesion.

Slide 2: The inflammatory lesion is characterized by filamentous bacteria embedded in a brightly pink proteinaceous precipitate permeated and surrounded by neutrophils.

Slide 3: This PAS preparation highlights the filamentous organisms showing their radiating branching network with peripheral neutrophilia. The Gram stain reveals they are Gram positive.