Serological studies of Actinomyces israelii by crossed immunoelectrophoresis: taxonomic and diagnostic applications.
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Crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) with intermediate gel was applied to the serological analysis of Actinomyces israelii to develop a test with high efficiency in the laboratory diagnosis of human actinomycosis and classification of A. israelii. Recently developed standard antigen-antibody systems for A. israelii by CIE were used as reference. The reference systems were based on standard preparations of cytoplasmic and whole cell-associated antigens of A. israelii and a standard immunoglobulin G pool purified from rabbit antisera to formalin-treated whole cells and cell lysates of A. israelii. The specificity of the standard antigens for A. israelii was evaluated in CIE studies by screening for antibodies to components of the antigens in rabbit antisera raised against related bacteria. The standard system for A. israelii based on cytoplasmic antigens formed species-specific precipitins whereas antisera raised against A. naeslundii and/or Propionibacterium acnes precipitated components of the other standard antigens. As a result of these analyses, the standard system for A. israelii based on 10 cytoplasmic antigens was used as reference for CIE studies to detect humoral antibodies to A. israelii in sera from nine patients with actinomycosis. All the sera from the patients formed at the time of diagnosis one or more precipitins in terms of the 10 reference precipitins. Up to five precipitins were found in single sera. Follow-up studies covering a period of one-half year after treatment showed a gradually decreased precipitin response in the course of time. In control sera from patients with newly diagnosed tuberculosis, nocardiosis, deep Candida infection, and aspergillosis, and in sera from healthy blood donors, no antibodies were detected with specificity for the reference antigens. (+info)
Primary vesical actinomycosis: a case diagnosed by multiple transabdominal needle biopsies.
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Primary vesical actinomycosis is an extremely rare disease. In most cases it is misdiagnosed as vesical or urachal tumor and usually diagnosed through post-operative pathologic confirmation. Here we report a case of primary vesical actinomycosis confirmed by preoperative repeated multiple transabdominal biopsies. The patient was a 49-yr-old woman who presented with frequency, dysuria, and intermittent gross hematuria for 2 months. Computed tomography and cystoscopic examination showed broad-based, edematous, and protruding mass at the dome and anterior portion of the bladder. The clinical and imaging findings of the patient initially suggested vesical malignancy. Transurethral resection and multiple biopsies of the mass were performed. Pathologic examination demonstrated fibrosis with chronic inflammation. We performed repeated transabdominal multiple needle biopsies for further pathologic confirmation. Histopathologic examination demonstrated typical sulfur granules, which were consistent with actinomycosis. (+info)
Esophageal actinomycosis in a patient with AIDS.
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Actinomycosis has been rarely reported in patients with HIV/AIDS in contrast to other opportunistic and common pathogens. We report a case of esophageal ulcer disease, secondary to actinomycosis occurring in a patient with recurrent odynophagia. The diagnosis was made histologically only after repeated upper endoscopy with biopsies. (+info)
Pulmonary actinomycosis followed by pericarditis and intractable pleuritis.
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A case of pleuropericarditis caused by Actinomyces israelli is described. The patient first underwent left upper lobectomy because of pulmonary actinomycosis. Seven months later, cardiac tamponade developed. Culture of the bloody pericardial effusion resulted in positive growth of Actinomyces israeli. He was successfully treated with penicillin G, ampicillin, and minocyclin. However, right pleural effusion appeared two months later. Cultures of the effusion again yielded positive growth of the same bacteria. However, the strain had gained resistance to any antibiotics that had been effective before. Accordingly, pleurodesis with minocyclin was undertaken, which was fortunately effective for controlling the pleural effusion. (+info)
Actinomyces cardiffensis sp. nov. from human clinical sources.
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Eight strains of a previously undescribed catalase-negative Actinomyces-like bacterium were recovered from human clinical specimens. The morphological and biochemical characteristics of the isolates were consistent with their assignment to the genus Actinomyces, but they did not appear to correspond to any recognized species. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed the organisms represent a hitherto unknown species within the genus Actinomyces related to, albeit distinct from, a group of species which includes Actinomyces turicensis and close relatives. Based on biochemical and molecular genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolates from human clinical sources be classified as a new species, Actinomyces cardiffensis sp. nov. The type strain of Actinomyces cardiffensis is CCUG 44997(T). (+info)
Genotypic diversity of clinical Actinomyces species: phenotype, source, and disease correlation among genospecies.
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We determined the frequency distribution of Actinomyces spp. recovered in a routine clinical laboratory and investigated the clinical significance of accurate identification to the species level. We identified 92 clinical strains of Actinomyces, including 13 strains in the related Arcanobacterium-Actinobaculum taxon, by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and recorded their biotypes, sources, and disease associations. The clinical isolates clustered into 21 genogroups. Twelve genogroups (74 strains) correlated with a known species, and nine genogroups (17 strains) did not. The individual species had source and disease correlates. Actinomyces turicensis was the most frequently isolated species and was associated with genitourinary tract specimens, often with other organisms and rarely with inflammatory cells. Actinomyces radingae was most often associated with serious, chronic soft tissue abscesses of the breast, chest, and back. Actinomyces europaeus was associated with skin abscesses of the neck and genital areas. Actinomyces lingnae, Actinomyces gravenitzii, Actinomyces odontolyticus, and Actinomyces meyeri were isolated from respiratory specimens, while A. odontolyticus-like strains were isolated from diverse sources. Several of the species were commonly coisolated with a particular bacterium: Actinomyces israelii was the only Actinomyces spp. coisolated with Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) actinomycetemcomitans; Actinomyces meyeri was coisolated with Peptostreptococcus micros and was the only species other than A. israelii associated with sulfur granules in histological specimens. Most genogroups had consistent biotypes (as determined with the RapID ANA II system); however, strains were misidentified, and many codes were not in the database. One biotype was common to several genogroups, with all of these isolates being identified as A. meyeri. Despite the recent description of new Actinomyces spp., 19% of the isolates recovered in our routine laboratory belonged to novel genospecies. One novel group with three strains, Actinomyces houstonensis sp. nov., was phenotypically similar to A. meyeri and A. turicensis but was genotypically closest to Actinomyces neuii. A. houstonensis sp. nov. was associated with abscesses. Our data documented consistent site and disease associations for 21 genogroups of Actinomyces spp. that provide greater insights into appropriate treatments. However, we also demonstrated a complexity within the Actinomyces genus that compromises the biochemical identification of Actinomyces that can be performed in most clinical laboratories. It is our hope that this large group of well-defined strains will be used to find a simple and accurate biochemical test for differentiation of the species in routine laboratories. (+info)
Actinomycosis is a slowly progressive infectious disease caused by an anaerobic and microaerophilic bacteria that colonizes the face, neck, lung, pleura and the ileocecal region. There have been a few cases of this disease which have involved in the lung but one very rare case has been reported. We report a case of foreign body-induced endobronchial actinomycosis mimicking bronchogenic carcinoma in a 69-year-old man. On admission, the patient presented with weight loss, cough and hemoptysis. The fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a soft tissue mass, with a partial occlusion of the left upper bronchus, which resembled bronchogenic carcinoma. Contrary to the first impression, the biopsy of the bronchus revealed the mass lesion to be an actinomycotic infection involving the bronchus. After the confirmation of the lesion, treatment with penicillin was initiated. The follow-up bronchoscopy revealed an aspirated fish bone at the site of infection. The foreign body was safely removed. (+info)
Late prosthetic hip joint infection with Actinomyces israelii in an intravenous drug user: case report and literature review.
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Late infections with Actinomyces israelii have been described for prosthetic hip joints but not in association with intravenous drug use. We present a case of a 43-year-old intravenous drug user who developed A. israelii infection in connection with a hip prosthesis 11 years after implantation, and we review four previously reported cases of Actinomyces prosthetic joint infections. (+info)