Actinomycosis: Difference between revisions

	Actinomycosis Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Actinomycosis from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
Electrocardiogram
Chest X Ray
CT
MRI
Echocardiography or Ultrasound
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy
Future or Investigational Therapies
Actinomycosis On the Web
Most recent articles
cited articles
Review articles
CME Programs
Powerpoint slides
Images
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Actinomycosis All Images X-rays Echo & Ultrasound CT Images MRI
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Actinomycosis
CDC on Actinomycosis
Actinomycosis in the news
Blogs on Actinomycosis
to Hospitals Treating Actinomycosis
Risk calculators and risk factors for Actinomycosis

	Actinomycosis;
	A patient with Actinomycosis on the right side of the face.
ICD-10	A42
ICD-9	039
DiseasesDB	145
MeSH	D000196

VisualWikitext

Revision as of 22:45, 23 January 2012

For patient information click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Causative organism

Actinomycosis is primarily caused by any of several members of the bacterial genus Actinomyces. These bacteria are generally anaerobes.^[1] Actinomyces spp. normally live in the small spaces between the teeth and gums, causing infection only when they can multiply freely in anoxic environments. The three most common sites of infection are decayed teeth, the lungs, and the intestines.

Since Actinomyces bacteria are generally sensitive to penicillin, it is frequently used to treat actinomycosis.

Pathophysiology & Etiology

6 species cause disease in humans:
- A. israelii
- A. Naeslundii
- A. odontolyticus
- A. viscosus
- A. Meyeri
- A. gerencseriae
Gram positive filamentous rod
Sulfur Granules
Actinomyces from within, Nocardia from without
Generally low pathogenicity and cause disease only in the setting of antecedent tissue injury

Symptoms

Cervicofacial Actinomycosis (55%)
- Acute painful pyogenic abscess or indolent angle-of-jaw mass
Thoracic Actinomycosis
- Lungs
- Pleura
- Mediastinum
- Chest wall (aspiration, extension of cervicofacial disease, transdiaphragmatic or retroperitoneal spread)
  Clinical picture of tuberculosis (TB) or malignancy
Abdominal and Pelvic Actinomycosis
- Following:
  Penetrating trauma
  
  Gut perforation
  
  Surgical manipulation
- Ileocecal predilection
  Confused with:
  TB
  
  Ameboma
  
  Chronic appy
  
  Regional enteritis
  
  Carcinoma
  
  Intrauterine devices (IUD’s)
Central Nervous System (CNS)

Pharmacotherapy

In vitro susceptible to:
- Penicillin
- Chloramphenicol
- The tetracyclines
- Erythromycin
- Clindamycin
- Imipenem
- Streptomycin
- The cephalosporins
  Prolonged treatment (6-12 months)

Surgery and Device Based Therapy

Surgery often required for disease of the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and central nervous system (CNS)

References

↑ Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed. ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0838585299.

External links

Journal of Infectious Diseases, Actinomycosis of the Tongue

Acknowledgements

The content on this page was first contributed by: Dr. Steve Wiviott

Template:Bacterial diseases
Template:SIB de:Aktinomykose gl:Actinomicose hr:Aktinomikoza nl:Actinomycose sr:Актиномикоза fi:Aktinomykoosi uk:Актиномікоз

Template:WikiDoc Sources

[Sherris-1] Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed. ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0838585299.

[1]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Overview==
-[[Image:Actinomycosis_2.jpg|thumb|left|A BHI plate culture of Actinomyces sp., strain X616, at 72hrs of growth]]
-'''Actinomycosis''' ''(ak-tuh-nuh-my-KOH-sihs)'', is a rare [[infectious disease|infectious]] [[bacteria]]l disease of humans generally caused by ''Actinomyces israelii'', ''A. gerencseriae'' and ''Propionibacterium propionicus'', though the condition is likely to be polymicrobial.<ref name=Baron>{{cite book | author = Bowden GHW | title = Actinomycosis ''in:'' Baron's Medical Microbiology ''(Baron S ''et al'', eds.)| edition = 4th ed. | publisher = Univ of Texas Medical Branch | year = 1996 | id = [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=mmed.section.1883 (via NCBI Bookshelf)] ISBN 0-9631172-1-1 }}</ref> Characterized by the formation of painful [[abscess]]es in the [[mouth]], [[lungs]], or digestive organs, actinomycosis abscesses grow larger as the disease progresses, often over a period of months. In severe cases, the abscesses may penetrate the surrounding bone and muscle to the skin, where they break open and leak large amounts of pus.
-Actinomycosis occurs in cattle and other animals as a disease called ''lumpy jaw''. This name refers to the large abscesses that grow on the head and neck of the infected animal.
-In 1877 [[pathologist]] [[Otto Bollinger]] described the presence of ''Actinomyces bovis'' in cattle, and shortly afterwards, James Israel discovered ''Actinomyces israelii'' in humans. In 1890 [[Eugen Bostroem]] isolated the causative organism from a culture of grain, grasses, and soil. After Bostroem's discovery there was a general misconception that actinomycosis was a [[mycosis]] that affected individuals who chewed grass or straw.
 ==Causative organism==