Cervicofacial actinomycosis remains a rare pathogenic finding in the paediatric population. Diagnosis is challenging, as findings are often non-specific and Actinomyces species are generally difficult to culture. Treatment is a prolonged course of antibiotics, either intravenous and oral, often combined with a surgical procedure to remove the lesion. This patient had non-specific intermittent left mandibular pain for 8 months that was eventually attributed to an Actinomyces odontolyticus infection in the mandible. Diagnosis required incisional biopsy, and treatment involved 12 months of oral antibiotics.
Keywords: bone and joint infections; dentistry and oral medicine; infections; mouth; oral and maxillofacial surgery.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.