Branching filamentous bacteria, consistent with Actinomyces sp

[mirela25]

I just had my tonsils removed and my pathology report showed Branching filamentous bacteria, consistent with Actinomyces sp.. My ENT said they are not treating it in his office so I am confused. I didn't get any answers from him. I also have right side of my face pain, mainly cheek, jaw and eye it also looks puffy and swollen. I don't know really if the bacteria is causing it and what to do next.   I have these symptoms for about 2 years now and thats the reason I got rid of my tonsils. Also pathology report showed they were chronically inflamedand and had tonsils stones.

any advise would be apriciated

Thank you

[mkh9]

I'm sorry you have gone through all this.

Your condition is different from that of the other poster. Yours is in the jaw and more serious. Most cases clear up in a year. They can monitor it via MRI or CT scan. Hopefully, yours will clear up. If it doesn't respond after  a period of time they could determine it is resistant and try other antibiotics on you. But usually it can clear up.
mkh9

[imamoron]

500 mg 3 times per day

[imamoron]

i have been taking 500 mg penicillin for 2 and a 1/2 years to fight actinomyces.  It was NOT from a tooth.  It is painful and in my neck and jaw.  the inf. disease doc says I may have to take the medicine for the rest of my life!!!

[imamoron]

i have been taking 500 mg penicillin for 2 and a 1/2 years to fight actinomyces.  It was NOT from a tooth.  It is painful and in my neck and jaw.  the inf. disease doc says I may have to take the medicine for the rest of my life!!!

[mkh9]

That is a good idea. That way you can get a second opinion. If they say you are on the right track then you won't have to worry.
mkh9

[mirela25]

Thank you! I will take antibiotics for now and see if I can get in with an  infectious disease doctor. There is many here where I live so I'll see if any of them can take me in this fallowing week.

[mkh9]

The infectious disease doctor can do a culture on the area if there is an infection. But the thing is you have an infection that needs treatment right away. If you can see the infectious disease doctor right away (today or tomorrow) you could do it but there is a risk of it spreading to the blood stream. But, they usually are booked up. If they think it is urgent they may take you in. But it is possible the infectious disease doctor would just do treatment on you as well. A lot of doctors treat based on symptoms and your report, instead of waiting for the culture since it takes several days for it to grow. In the meantime they give you antibiotics to try to stop the infection from spreading and getting into your blood stream (which would be more serious). Also, it may be hard to get a culture unless there is an open wound or pus. Because they would have to make an incision and that could also lead to more problems. You can try to see if you can get in right away. Otherwise, you would have to see if the antibiotics help and go to the Infectious disease doctor when they can get you in. At that point they may not be able to culture the organism. You don't want to wait and not take the antibiotics for much longer as the risk way outweighs the benefit here. But you can still get their opinion.
mkh9

[mirela25]

Thank you for your reply. I went to see my primary doctor and she gave me antibiotics for 4 months. How will I ever know if I do have actinomyces in my cheek? If I would go and see  infectious disease doctor would they test me for it?

[mkh9]

Apparently, Actinomyces sp. are not a factor in causing disease in the tonsils. See article below. I have read several that say the same thing. Usually, you have to have it in a oral abscess. Since you have face pain, jaw and eye you sound like you have some type of oral infection. It may be bacterial but not necessarily from the Actinomyces.  Maybe the ENT is not treating in his office because it is a dental problem. So I would see a dentist as soon as possible to get the infection looked at. It does sound like an abscess. So whether or not you have the Actinomyces in there is hard to know but whatever it is needs to be treated.  See what the dentist says and an alternative is an infectious disease doctor. I would see the dentist or dental specialist first.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371986/

mkh9