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• Actinomyces
o Physiology & Structure
Pleomorphic Pelvic actinomycosis
Facultative or strict anaerobe
Grows slowly in culture
Typically form delicate
filamentous hyphae Molar tooth appearance of Actinomyces
Lack mitochondria & nuclear israelii after incubation for 1 week
membrane
Inhibited by penicillin
o Pathogenesis
Definition: characterized by
multiple abscesses connected by
sinus tracts • Propionibacterium: Generalities
o Epidemiology o Small, gm (-) bacilli, frequently arranged in
No evidence of person to person short chain or clumps
spread o Commonly found: skin, conjuctiva ext. ear,
No disease originating form oropharynx, female genital tract
external source o Physiology: anaerobic or aerotolerant, non-
All age group affected motile, catalase (+) ferment carbohydrates
No seasonal nor occupational o 2 commonly isolated species
predilection P. acnes
A. israelii – most commonly - Disease caused by P. acnes
encountered o Acne: teenagers & young
o Disease classification adults
Cervicofacial o Opportunistic infections:
• Seen in patients with patients with prosthetic
poor oral hygiene devices & IV line
- Pathophysiology
o Stimulate an inflammatory Intermediate susceptibility to:
response • Clinda
o Production of low MW • Erythro
peptides: attract WBC to • Tetra
sebaceous follicles • Metro
- Treatment
Specific therapy: indicated for
o Antibiotic: topical & oral
monomicrobic infections
P. propionicus 4. Gram negative cocci
- Pathophysiology
• Veillonella, Acidaminacoccus, Megashaera
o Causes abscesses, lacrimal
• Isolated from human infections
canaliculitis, actinomycosis
• Isolates from oropharynx & colon: low degree of
• Mobiluncus virulence & represent fewer than 1% of all
anaerobic isolates
o Gram variable or gram (-) curved,
• Isolates: generally present in mixtures & clinical
nonsporing bacilli
o But classified as gram (+): signigicance difficult to assess
• Specific treatment: often not necessary
• Have gram (+) cell wall
• Lack endotoxin
• Susceptible to: vanco, clinda, erythro,
ampi
o Physiology
Obligate anaerobes
Fastidious, slow growing even on
enriched media
2 species of medical importance:
• M. curtsii
• M. mulieris
Abundant in women with bacterial
vaginosis