How do people get Actinomyces?

Symptoms occur when the bacteria enter the tissues of the face after trauma, surgery, or infection. Common triggers include dental abscess or oral surgery. The infection can also affect certain women who have had an intrauterine device (IUD) to prevent pregnancy.

Who is most likely to get actinomycosis?

Males are more often affected than women, with a 3:1 ratio. Pulmonary actinomycosis results mainly from aspiration of oropharyngeal or gastrointestinal secretions. Consequently, individuals with poor oral hygiene, preexisting dental disease, and alcoholism have an increased risk for developing pulmonary actinomycosis.

Where are actinomycetes usually found?

Actinomycetes are found in many habitats, such as freshwater, sea- water, cold- and warm-blooded animals, and composts. The soil, however, is their most important habitat. Viable counts of several millions per gram are common, and over 20 genera have been isolated from soil (Table 45-1).

What disease is caused by Actinomyces?

Actinomyces are gram-positive filamentous non-acid fast anaerobic to microaerophilic bacteria that typically colonize the human mouth, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract but can cause an infection known as actinomycosis.

How common is Actinomyces?

Actinomycosis is very rare, so the chances of getting it are extremely small.

How do I know if I have Actinomyces?

Upon microscopic examination, Actinomyces isolates typically appear as Gram-positive bacilli that may be coryneform-like with palisading or branching structures and have a positive catalase reaction.

How do I get rid of actinomycetes?

Antibiotics are the primary treatment for actinomycosis. High doses of penicillin are usually necessary to cure the infection. If you're allergic to penicillin, your doctor can give you other antibiotics, such as: tetracycline.

How do I know if I have actinomycetes?

Approaches to the detection of actinomycetes ranged from investigations of neglected habitats and extreme environments (e.g. alkaline soils and oil drills) to the analysis of DNA extracted from the environment and use of specific phages.

Are actinomycetes harmful?

Many Actinomyces species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and other mammals, particularly in the oral cavity. In rare cases, these bacteria can cause actinomycosis, a disease characterized by the formation of abscesses in the mouth, lungs, or the gastrointestinal tract.

How do you get rid of actinomycosis?

You may need to use antifungal ear drops to treat otomycosis. They may include clotrimazole and fluconazole. Acetic acid is another common treatment for otomycosis. Usually, a 2 percent solution of these ear drops is used several times a day for about a week.

Is Actinomyces a fungus or bacteria?

Actinomycetes are a group of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the order Actinomycetales. These organisms are phylogenetically diverse but morphologically similar, exhibiting characteristic filamentous branching structures which then fragment into bacillary or coccoid forms (1) (Figure 1).

Are actinomycetes harmful to humans?

It normally does not cause disease. Because of the bacteria's normal location in the nose and throat, actinomycosis most commonly affects the face and neck. The infection can sometimes occur in the chest (pulmonary actinomycosis), abdomen, pelvis, or other areas of the body. The infection is not contagious.

Is Actinomyces contagious?

These bacteria are found normally in the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and female genital tract, and do not cause an infection unless there is a break in the skin or mucosa. The infection is not contagious. Actinomycosis is diagnosed based on the history and clinical exam, and through specific laboratory tests.