Primary Sternal Osteomyelitis Caused by Actinomyces israelii

Abstract

Primary sternal osteomyelitis is a rare disease. Common infectious organisms causing primary sternal osteomyelitisinclude Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Actinomyces species are common saprophytes of theoral cavity, but there have been few reports in the literature of primary sternal osteomyelitis caused by Actinomycesspecies. We describe a case of primary sternal osteomyelitis caused by Actinomyces israelii without pulmonaryinvolvement.