A 35-year-old male farmer presents with multiple discharging cervical sinuses. Which of these stains will be useful for the diagnosis? Where does this organism normally colonise in the body?

Ans: C. AFB, mouth(Ref Ananthanarayan 10/e p398, 8/e p391-391' I larrison 19/e p1088)In this farmer, who presented with multiple discharging cervical sinuses, the most likely diagnosis is actinomycosis.Actinomyces - Not acid-fast organism.Actinomycosis:Occurs most commonly at an oral, cervical, or facial site, usually as a soft tissue swelling, abscess, or mass lesion that is often mistaken fir a neoplasm.The angle of the jaw is generally involved, but a diagnosis of actinomycosis should be considered with any mass lesion or relapsing infection in the head and neck.