Experiences with
Actinomycosis

Actinomycosis is a rare type of bacterial infection. It can be very serious but can usually be cured with antibiotics.

Treatment for actinomycosis

Actinomycosis is treated with antibiotics. Treatment starts off in hospital with antibiotics given directly into a vein (intravenously).

When you're well enough to go home, you'll be given tablets to take for a few months.

It's important to keep taking antibiotics until they're finished, even when you feel better.

You might also need surgery to drain areas of pus (abscesses) and cut out the surrounding area if it's infected.

How you get actinomycosis

The bacteria that cause actinomycosis normally live harmlessly in the body. They only cause an infection if they get into the lining of areas such as the mouth or gut.

You cannot spread the infection to other people.

Any part of the body can be infected, but the head and neck, chest, tummy and pelvis are most commonly affected.

Possible causes	Symptoms
Jaw or mouth: tooth decay, an injury, dental surgery	lumps on your cheek or neck, difficulty chewing, pus leaking from small holes in your skin
Lungs: inhaling liquid or food contaminated with the bacteria	shortness of breath, chest pain, a cough, pus leaking from small holes in your skin
Tummy: burst appendix, surgery	diarrhoea or constipation, pain, a lump or swelling in your tummy, pus leaking from small holes in your skin
Pelvis: leaving an IUD contraceptive coil in for too long	pain low down in your tummy, vaginal bleeding or unusual discharge, a lump or swelling in your lower tummy