Appendicitis: When there is more than meets the eye.

Acute appendicitis is the most frequent emergency in gastrointestinal surgery. Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen appears to be one of the most common physiologic mechanisms for the development of acute appendicitis. Once obstructed, the dilatation of the lumen causes ischemia and necrosis of the wall. The most common organisms involved in appendicitis are Escherichia coli, Peptostreptococcus, Bacillus fragilis and Pseudomonas. Rarely, Actinomyces is involved in this process. In this case report, we report a case of actinomycosis of the appendix vermiformis occurring in a 19-year-old male with no predisposing factors. Along with a review of the literature, we will define the risk factors, clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and treatment of actinomycosis.