Cmb301 Fungi Like Bacteria 2548

Fungi-like bacteria Actinomyces species Nocardia species Streptomyces species www.ams.cmu.ac.th

Actinomycetes 

Aerobic gram-positive bacilli    

Nocardia Actinomadura Nocardiopsis Streptomyces



Anaerobic non-spore forming gram-positive bacilli 

Actinomyces

Gram Positive Filamentous Bacteria GENUS

OXYGEN

GRANULE ACIDFAST

Mycobacteria

aerobe

no

yes

Actinomyces

ANAEROBE

YES

no

Nocardia

aerobe

Streptomyces

aerobe

sometime YES

PARTIALLY

no

Physiology 

Bacteria with fungi-like structures.



Actinomycetes are true bacteria 



lack of nucleus membrane and mitochondria susceptibility to antibacterial but not to antifungal

Acid-fast stain of Nocardia sp.

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Physiology  There are aerobic and anaerobic

actinomycetes 



Aerobe; Nocardia, Actinomadura, Streptomyces Anaerobe; Actinomyces

 Slowly growing 

3 days - 2 weeks

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Nocardia growing in culture after 7 days as colony that are c halky and raised,with color varyi ng from white to yellow-orange

Diseases Actinomycetoma Nocardiosis (Nocardial infection) Actinomycosis

Modified acid-fast stain 

Acid-fast stain



Modified acid-fast stain



carbolfuchsin



carbofuchsin



3%HCl-alcohol



1% H2SO4- alcohol



Methylene blue



Methylene blue

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Actinomycosis 

Lumpy jaw



Chronic disease characterized by formation of multiple abscesses and sinus tracts that discharge sulfur granules

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Actinomycosis 

Etiologic agent: Anaerobic bacteria 

Actinomyces israeli, A. gerencseriae



A. naeslundii, A.odontolyticus, A. viscosus



Gram-positive branching filamentous, no spore forming



Acid-fast negative www.ams.cmu.ac.th

Actinomycosis 

Source : Normal flora of the upper respiratory, gastrointestinal and female genital tracts



3 major clinical types 

Cervicofacial actinomycosis (50-70%)



Thoracic actinomycosis (15-20%)



Abdominal & pelvic actinomycosis (10-20%)

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Actinomycosis

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Actinomycosis 

Laboratory diagnosis 





Specimen : pus, sputum, skin biopsy Naked eye ; sulfur granule 10 % KOH, Gram’s stain

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Sulphur granules

Actinomycosis

A) Microscope view of actinomycotic “sulfur granules” (10x) (Exudate from an abdominal wound infection)

B) Gram-stained smear from the specimen as in A), showing thin sulfur granule with thin, branching filaments (800x)

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Actinomycosis 

Laboratory diagnosis 



Cultures immediately under anaerobic conditions and incubated for 48 hours or require 2-3 weeks. Typical colonies have "molar tooth" appearance on agar

Molar tooth colony

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Actinomycosis 

Treatment 



1 to 2 months of penicillin given through a vein, followed by 6 to 12 months of penicillin taken by mout h. co-trimoxasole, chloramphenicol, methicilin

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