Treatment of cutaneous actinomycosis with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of amoxicillin/clavulanic (AMX/CLV) acid as treatment for cutaneous actinomycosis.

Methods: We present a long-term follow-up study of cutaneous actinomycosis patients. Cervicofacial (CFA) and abdominal (AA) were recruited during 6 years. Diagnoses were based on clinical and microbiological characteristics; presence of granules, isolation and identification of etiological agents were carried out in each case. Patients received AMX–CLV 875/125 mg BID PO at a maximum period of 12 weeks.

Results: Twenty-two cases were enrolled; the mean age was 45.2 years old. Twenty patients (91%) presented CFA and two AA (9%). All patients with CFA had dental caries, seven (35%) with periodontal disease and 10 (50%) had type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). One case of AA had history of intrauterine device and other appendicitis. Granules were observed in all the cases, the main etiological agent was Actinomyces israelii 16/22 (72.7%). Clinical and microbiological cure was achieved in 19/22 cases (86.4%), the remaining patients presented clinical improvement. The average duration of the treatment was 6.6 weeks. Side effects were recorded in 4/19 cases (18.2%), three of them presented nausea and one diarrhea.

Conclusion: Treatment with AMX/CLV acid showed efficacy in the management of actinomycosis with cutaneous involvement.

Keywords:

• actinomycosis
• Actinomyces israelii
• amoxicillin–clavulanate
• cervicofacial
• abdominal
• dental caries
• appendicitis
• diabetes mellitus

Disclosure statement

All authors declare no conflicts of interest and did not receive any financial support.