Actinomyces

Superkingdom: Prokarya Kingdom: Bacteria Subkingdom: Eubacteria Domain: Bacteria Phylum: Actinobacteria Class: "Actinobacteria Subclass: Actinobacteridae Order : Actinomycetales Suborder: Actinomyceneae Family Actinomycetaceae Genus: Actinomyces

Actinomyces  Gram positive  Branching filaments of less than 1 m in d.m long, V, Y, and T configuration and pleomorphism  Lesions have the pus containing small pale yellow granules referred as sulfur granules which is composed of bacterial filaments and mineralized calcium phosphate of host origin.  Called ray fungus  Non-acid fast  Non-spore forming  Non motile higher bacteria  Non-capsulated  Do not form endospores or conidia.

I). General Facts Called Actinomycetes Called "higher bacteria" because they have culture characteristics similar to fungi. Filamentation. Filamentation. Branching. Production of aerial hyphae with asexual spores or conidia.

Some organisms produce club-shaped cells cluband acid-fast elements that resemble acidcorynebacteria and certain mycobacteria. Actinomyces pyogenes used to be called Corynebacterium pyogenes. pyogenes. A. pyogenes is now called Arcanobacterium pyogenes (1997).

II). Actinomyces Characteristics of Pathogenic Species Main pathogens are A. bovis, A. bovis, viscosus, viscosus, and A. pyogenes. pyogenes. Natural habitat in soil for many species.

Pathogenic species are commensals of oral and nasal cavities and genital tract. A.israelii infects humans (oral cavity A.israelii commensal). NonNon-motile.

B). Actinomyces bovis Facultative, but likes CO2. Wide variation in cell morphology Morphology depends on age of culture, aerobic/anaerobic conditions, growth medium, and strain used.

Actinomyces bovis - lumpy jaw a. Entry through the oral cavity - affects the mandible and produces abscesses and open draining sinuses b. Rarefying osteomyelitis c. Necrotic lesions with pus d. Connective tissue groups in the bone creating a tumor-like structure e. Pus contains cheese-like granules and "sulfur" granules which are mycelial masses used diagnostically

Actinomyces bovis: Lumpy jaw in cattle. Present as flora in mouth of cattle. Transmission: Wounds of mucous membranes of mouth. Swine: mammary gland infections. Horse: poll evil and fistulous withers (+ Brucella). Causes a rarefying osteomyelitis dense tumorlike mass of face and jaw. Actinomyces viscosus Abscesses in dogs, mainly skin, also thorax with extension in to the abdominal cavity. Usually due to wounds in hunting dogs.

Predisposing factors: Low-quality dry stalky feed, grass seeds, coarse hay and scrub can cause mouth abrasions which allow entry of infection. These factors are commonly associated with dry times and drought. Breaks in the gums that occur as teeth erupt in young animals can also predispose to lumpy jaw. Ironically, increased incidence has also been reported after flooding.

Gram positive branching filaments, rods, and cocci, non-sporeforming, non-motile, higher bacteria.

Actinomyces bovis Cellular Morphology

Actinomyces bovis, gram-stained smear, high power. Note the characteristic branching nature of these slender gram-positive rods.

Cultural characteristics: Capanophillic, anaerobic or facultative.

Growth requirements: Serum/blood supplement needed.

Lumpy jaw produces lumps on the upper and lower jawbones, hence the common name lumpy jaw. These lumps are immovable hard swellings of the bones, usually at the level of the central molar teeth. The swellings develop slowly and may take months to reach the size of a tennis ball. They consist of honeycombed masses of thin bone filled with yellow pus. If neglected the swellings may become very large. In advanced cases, sinuses or openings develop and discharge small amounts of sticky pus containing gritty yellow granules. Unlike the case with wooden tongue, the local lymph nodes do not become involved.

Bovine Lumpy Jaw

one side of the grossly enlarged lower jaw of an animal that was euthanased because of a very severe case of lumpy jaw.

Morphology:Gram positive branching filaments, rods, and cocci, non-sporeforming, non-motile, higher bacteria. Cultural characteristics: Carbonophillic, anaerobic or facultative. All the species are catalase negative except A. viscosus. Growth requirements: Serum/blood supplement needed. Resistance: Can survive in nature for 3 to 8 weeks under shade, but are inactivated in direct sun light.

Lumpy jaw, cow. Classic mandibular lesion of suppurative and proliferative osteomyelitis in a cow caused by Actinomyces bovis.

Lumpy jaw, cow. Classic mandibular lesion of suppurative and proliferative osteomyelitis in a cow caused by Actinomyces bovis.

Pulmonary disease may result from aspiration of infectious material. Swallowing infectious material can cause visceral or abdominal disease. Pus in lesions has sulfur granules (composed of A. bovis organisms held together by a polysaccharide-protein polysaccharidecomplex). 1 to 3 mm in diameter.

Actinomyces bovis Sulfur Granules

Horse: poll evil and fistulous withers (+ Brucella).

Horse: poll evil and fistulous withers (+ Brucella).

In sulfur granules, bacteria are protected from host defenses. To demonstrate A. bovis, best sample to bovis, examine is pus. Wash pus to expose sulfur granules. Place granules on slide, treat with 10% NaOH, and crush with a coverslip. NaOH, coverslip. Material can be smeared and stained. Diversity of forms can be present including cocci, cocci, rods, filaments, branching forms, clubclub-shaped forms, spirals. A. bovis infections are treatable

Diagnosis: Examination of drained fluid under a microscope demonstrates "sulfur granules" in the fluid Examination under a microscope shows the presence of Actinomyces species of bacteria A culture of the tissue or fluid shows Actinomyces species

Treatment: The most effective treatment is probably iodine therapy. The initial dose of sodium iodide is best given intravenously. Follow-up subcutaneous injections at weekly intervals for several weeks are likely to be necessary in deep-seated cases. However, subcutaneous treatment alone may be effective. Treatment with tetracyclines daily for five days is also reported to be effective. Advanced cases may require surgical drainage, and opened abscesses should be irrigated or swabbed with iodine for several days. All treated animals should be observed regularly, as relapses can occur. If the disease is detected early, it may be better to dispose of the animal while it is still in good condition

Actinomyces pyogenes
Commensal on mucous membranes of nasopharynx of cattle, sheep, and swine. PUS PRODUCER Abscesses in cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. Opportunistic infections: Wounds Umbilicus of calves Endometritis Pyometra Mastitis Pneumonia Surgical incisions Virulence factors: protease and hemolysin.

C). A.viscosus is aerobic and catalase-positive, different from other Actinomycetes. Non-acid-fast, non-motile. Can make diphtheroid forms and filamentous forms; both found in sulfur granules; no club shapes in sulfur granules.

Causes canine pulmonary actinomycosis. actinomycosis. Also causes skin disease with localized granulomatous abscesses. Infections can be contracted by dogs licking skin wounds.
Organism may be difficult to culture; large amounts of exudate must be cultured

D). Arcanobacterium pyogenes

Used to be called Corynebacterium pyogenes,then called Actinomyces pyogenes, and now is Arcanobacterium pyogenes (1997). Wide variation exists between different strains and between cells of the same strain. Most often occurs as small, Gram-positive rods that may be clubbed at one end. This is the reason why the organisms were classified with the corynebacteria.

Actinomyces suis Mycotic granuloma in mammary glands of sows due to sharp teeth of piglets. Actinomyces spp. in cats: subq. abscesses. Organism in cats mouth.