Actinomycosis overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Actinomycosis (ak-tuh-nuh-my-KOH-sihs), is a rare infectious bacterial disease of humans generally caused by Actinomyces israelii, A. gerencseriae and Propionibacterium propionicus, though the condition is likely to be polymicrobial.[1] Characterized by the formation of painful abscesses 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.
Actinomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria. Some species are anaerobic, while others are facultatively anaerobic . Actinomyces species do not form spores, and, while individual bacteria are rod-shaped, morphologically Actinomyces colonies form fungus-like branched networks of hyphae.[2]
Many Actinomyces species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and other mammals, particularly in the oral cavity.[3] In rare cases, these bacteria can cause actinomycosis, a disease characterized by the formation of abscesses in the mouth, lungs, or the gastrointestinal tract.[1]
Some species are responsible for the smell of topsoil, which is often particularly noticeable after rain.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bowden GHW (1996). Actinomycosis in: Baron's Medical Microbiology (Baron S et al, eds.) (4th ed. ed.). Univ of Texas Medical Branch. (via NCBI Bookshelf) ISBN 0-9631172-1-1.
- ↑ Holt JG (editor) (1994). Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (9th ed. ed.). Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 0-683-00603-7.
- ↑ Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). (2005). Brock Biology of Microorganisms (11th ed. ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
- ↑ The Sweet Smell of Rain
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