Actinomyces

Not to be confused with Actinomycetes.

Actinomyces
Scanning electron micrograph of Actinomyces israelii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Actinomycetota
Class: Actinomycetia
Order: Actinomycetales
Family: Actinomycetaceae
Genus: Actinomyces
Harz 1877 (Approved Lists 1980)[1]
Species

See text.

Synonyms
  • "Actinobacterium" Sampietro 1908
  • "Odontomyces" Howell et al. 1965

Actinomyces is a genus of the Actinomycetia class of bacteria. They all are Gram-positive and facultatively anaerobic, growing best under anaerobic conditions.[2] Actinomyces species may form endospores, and while individual bacteria are rod-shaped, Actinomyces colonies form fungus-like branched networks of hyphae.[3] The aspect of these colonies initially led to the incorrect assumption that the organism was a fungus and to the name Actinomyces, "ray fungus" (from Greek actis, ray or beam, and mykes, fungus).

Actinomyces species are ubiquitous, occurring in soil and in the microbiota of animals, including the human microbiota. They are known for the important role they play in soil ecology; they produce a number of enzymes that help degrade organic plant material, lignin, and chitin. Thus, their presence is important in the formation of compost. Certain species are commensal in the skin flora, oral flora, gut flora, and vaginal flora[4] of humans and livestock. They are also known for causing diseases in humans and livestock, usually when they opportunistically gain access to the body's interior through wounds. As with other opportunistic infections, people with immunodeficiency are at higher risk. In all of the preceding traits and in their branching filament formation, they bear similarities to Nocardia.[5]

Like various other anaerobes, Actinomyces species are fastidious, thus not easy to culture and isolate. Clinical laboratories do culture and isolate them, but a negative result does not rule out infection, because it may be due simply to reluctance to grow in vitro.

Genomics

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Phylogenetic trees based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16SrRNA) sequences have shown that the genus Actinomyces is quite diverse, exhibiting polyphyletic branching into several clusters. The genera Actinomyces and Mobiluncus form a monophyletic clade in a phylogenetic tree constructed using RpoB, RpoC, and DNA gyrase B protein sequences. This clade is also strongly supported by a conserved signature indel consisting of a three-amino-acid insertion in isoleucine tRNA synthetase found only in the species of the genera Actinomyces and Mobiluncus.[6]

Pathology

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Actinomycota are normally present in the gingiva, and are the most common cause of infection in dental procedures and oral abscesses. Many Actinomyces species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and other mammals, particularly in the oral cavity.[7] In rare cases, these bacteria can cause actinomycosis, a disease characterized by the formation of abscesses in the mouth, lungs, or the gastrointestinal tract.[2] Actinomycosis is most frequently caused by A. israelii, which may also cause endocarditis, though the resulting symptoms may be similar to those resulting from infections by other bacterial species.[8][9] Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans has been identified as being of note in periodontal disease, especially aggressive and localized form.[10]

The genus is typically the cause of oral-cervicofacial disease. It is characterized by a painless "lumpy jaw". Lymphadenopathy is uncommon in this form of the disease. Another form of actinomycosis is thoracic disease, which is often misdiagnosed as a neoplasm, as it forms a mass that extends to the chest wall. It arises from aspiration of organisms from the oropharynx. Symptoms include chest pain, fever, and weight loss. Abdominal disease is another manifestation of actinomycosis. This can lead to a sinus tract that drains to the abdominal wall or the perianal area. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, and weight loss.[11] Actinomyces species have also been shown to infect the central nervous system in a dog "without history or evidence of previous trauma or other organ involvement."[12]

Pelvic actinomycosis is a rare but proven complication of use of intrauterine devices. In extreme cases, pelvic abscesses might develop. Treatment of pelvic actinomycosis associated with intrauterine devices involves removal of the device and antibiotic treatment.[13]

Diagnosis

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Actinomycosis may be considered when a patient has chronic progression of disease across tissue planes that is mass-like at times, sinus tract development that may heal and recur, and refractory infection after a typical course of antibiotics.[11]

Treatment

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Treatment for actinomycosis consists of antibiotics such as penicillin or amoxicillin for 5 to 12 months,[14] as well as surgery if the disease is extensive.[11]

Species

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The genus Actinomyces comprises the following species:[15]

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References

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  1. ^ Harz CO. (1877–1878). "Actinomyces bovis, ein neuer Schimmel in den Geweben des Rindes" [Actinomyces bovis, a new mold from the tissues of cattle]. Deutsche Zeitschrift für Thiermedizin. 5: 125–140.
  2. ^ a b Bowden, Geroge H. W. (1996). "Actinomyces, Propionibacterium propionicus, and Streptomyces". In Baron, Samuel (ed.). Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. ISBN 978-0-9631172-1-2. PMID 21413327.
  3. ^ Holt JG, ed. (1994). Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (9th ed.). Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 0-683-00603-7.
  4. ^ Petrova, Mariya I.; Lievens, Elke; Malik, Shweta; Imholz, Nicole; Lebeer, Sarah (2015). "Lactobacillus species as biomarkers and agents that can promote various aspects of vaginal health". Frontiers in Physiology. 6: 81. doi:10.3389/fphys.2015.00081. ISSN 1664-042X. PMC 4373506. PMID 25859220.
  5. ^ Sullivan, DC; Chapman, SW (2010), "Bacteria that masquerade as fungi: actinomycosis/nocardia", Proc Am Thorac Soc, 7 (3): 216–221, doi:10.1513/pats.200907-077AL, PMID 20463251.
  6. ^ Gao, B.; Gupta, R. S. (2012). "Phylogenetic Framework and Molecular Signatures for the Main Clades of the Phylum Actinobacteria". Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 76 (1): 66–112. doi:10.1128/MMBR.05011-11. PMC 3294427. PMID 22390973.
  7. ^ Madigan M; Martinko J, eds. (2005). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (11th ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
  8. ^ Lam, S; Samraj, J; Rahman, S; Hilton, E (April 1993). "Primary actinomycotic endocarditis: case report and review". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 16 (4): 481–5. doi:10.1093/clind/16.4.481. PMID 8513051.
  9. ^ Adalja, AA; Vergis, EN (August 2010). "Actinomyces israelii endocarditis misidentified as "Diptheroids [sic]"". Anaerobe. 16 (4): 472–3. doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2010.05.003. PMID 20493959.
  10. ^ Åberg, Carola Höglund; Kelk, Peyman; Johansson, Anders (2014-12-12). "Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans: Virulence of its leukotoxin and association with aggressive periodontitis". Virulence. 6 (3): 188–195. doi:10.4161/21505594.2014.982428. ISSN 2150-5594. PMC 4601274. PMID 25494963.
  11. ^ a b c El Sahli, MD, MS. "Anaerobic Pathogens." Infectious Disease Module 2007. Baylor College of Medicine, 2007.
  12. ^ Couto, SS; Dickinson, PJ; Jang, S; Munson, L (November 2000). "Pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis due to Actinomyces sp. in a dog". Veterinary Pathology. 37 (6): 650–2. doi:10.1354/vp.37-6-650. PMID 11105955. S2CID 5619351.
  13. ^ Joshi C, Sharma R, Mohsin Z. Pelvic actinomycosis: a rare entity presenting as tubo-ovarian abscess. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2010 Feb;281(2):305-6
  14. ^ "Actinomycosis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". www.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  15. ^ Euzéby JP, Parte AC. "Actinomycetaceae". List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN). Retrieved June 17, 2021.
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