Abstract | OBJECTIVE: To better characterize associations between Actinomyces and tonsillolith versus nontonsillolith tonsillectomy specimens. STUDY DESIGN: Bi-institutional retrospective case-case study. SETTING: University and county hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: RESULTS: The study population comprised 134 patients who underwent tonsillectomy: 62 tonsillolith and 72 nontonsillolith (tonsillar hypertrophy, n = 30; chronic tonsillitis, n = 30; normal-appearing contralateral tonsil in patients with ipsilateral OPC, n = 12). Actinomyces was reported in 11% of the patients with tonsilloliths on initial pathology reports but in 95% after re-evaluation (n = 54 of 57). Actinomyces prevalence was significantly higher in patients with tonsilloliths as compared with patients with recurrent tonsillitis (73%, n = 22 of 30, P < .001) and normal-appearing contralateral tonsils in patients with ipsilateral OPC (58%, n = 7 of 12, P < .001). Actinomyces prevalence was not significantly different between patients with tonsilloliths and tonsillar hypertrophy (83%, n = 25 of 30, P = .11). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Actinomyces in tonsillolith tonsil specimens is high; however, Actinomyces routinely colonizes nontonsillolith tonsil specimens. Therefore, Actinomyces is unlikely to be the primary driver of tonsillolith pathogenesis, and Actinomyces-targeted treatment of tonsilloliths may not be effective. Treatment strategies addressing tonsilloliths should be further investigated.
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Authors | Simone Arvisais-Anhalt, Andrew Quinn, Justin A Bishop, Cynthia S Wang, Ron B Mitchell, Romaine F Johnson, Barbara Schultz, Andrew T Day |
Journal | Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
(Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg)
Vol. 163
Issue 4
Pg. 743-749
(10 2020)
ISSN: 1097-6817 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 32366151
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
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Topics |
- Actinomyces
(isolation & purification)
- Adult
- Female
- Humans
- Hypertrophy
- Lithiasis
(microbiology)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Palatine Tonsil
(microbiology, pathology, surgery)
- Retrospective Studies
- Tonsillectomy
- Tonsillitis
(microbiology, pathology, surgery)
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