Resumen

DEL VALLE, Sol C.; BONILLA, Carolina; GUERRERO, César A.  y  GARCIA-AROCHA, Raúl A.. Uso de la clindamicina oral para el tratamiento de la actinomicosis cervicofacial. Acta odontol. venez [online]. 2002, vol.40, n.1, pp.18-20. ISSN 0001-6365.

Cervicofacial actinomycosis is a chronic bacterial disease commonly caused by Actinomyces israelii, an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium. This saprophytic microorganism is a normal inhabitant of the oral cavity. The infection usually appears after trauma, surgery or previous infection. Tooth extraction, periodontal surgery and oral infections predispose to the development of this condition. Actinomycosis typically presents as a swelling of the mandible that may simulate an abscess. The lesion is indurated, cold to touch and the draining pus may contain small yellow granules known as "sulfur granules", without a fetid smell. This lesion usually recurs.^1-2 The aim of this clinical study was to prove the oral clindamycin effect for the treatment of cervicofacial actinomycosis. 6 patients presenting with cervicofacial actinomycosis were treated with 300 milligrams of oral clindamycin every 6 hours for 21 days and eliminating the dental etiology. The patients were followed for 6 months after treatment. The swelling of the mandible rapidly disappeared. Approximately, four days after taking this antibiotic, the edema progressively resolved. There was no recurrence of the lesion after treatment. Oral clindamycin is effective in anaerobic infections. This antibiotic is a viablealternative for the conclusive treatment of cervicofacial actinomycosis. In our trial, there was no recurrence.