ABSTRACT

Actinomycosis in the pelvic region is an uncommon diagnosis. This infection in most cases is caused by Actinomyces israelii, a gram-positive anaerobic saprophyte bacterium, although other Actinomyces pathogens have also been reported. This bacterium is a normal inhabitant of the upper intestinal and genital tracts in humans. Pelvic actinomycosis is difficult to diagnose, and in many cases the preliminary suspicion is of a neoplastic process in the pelvic organs, as this infection may mimic pelvic and abdominal malignancies. We report a rare case of a 52-year-old female patient with a fixed pelvic mass within the vesico-vaginal fascia, located between the urinary bladder, uterine cervix and anterior vaginal wall. The diagnosis and treatment of pelvic actinomyces related inflammatory disease are discussed in this report. Care providers should be aware of this rare infection that is slow growing and may mimic a malignant process, leading to morbidity that can be caused by unnecessary treatment.