Actinomycetales Flashcards
Actinomycetales characteristics
-biocontainment level 1-2
-gram positives
Actinomyces, and Nocardia genera
-microaerophilic or anaerobic
-non spore forming
-filamentous rods
-Nocardia has similar cell wall to mycobacterium and is acid fast
-branching filaments
Trueperella pyogenes
-Pleomorphic (variable shapes) gram positive coccobacilli
Dermatophilus congolensis
-one of only two species in the genus
-characteristic tram track appearance on cytology
>gram positive zoospores in parallel lines two across
>free living individual coccoid elements also visible
-pleomorphic in pure culture
Streptomyces spp
-soil organisms
-source of many useful natural products
>antibiotics (eg. streptomycin, neomycin)
>parasiticides (eg. ivermectin)
-chemotherapeutic agents (eg. Bleomycin)
Host of Actinomyces and Trueperella
-host associated- mucous membranes, nasal cavity, pharynx
Dermatophilus congolensis habitat
-maintained by carrier animals; on skin
Nocardia and streptomyces habitat
-environmental
Differentiated species taxonomy
- Filamentous rods + acid fast= nocardia
2.filamentous rods. not acid fast, granules present= actinomyces - Not filamentous rods, tram tracks= D. congolensis
- Not filamentous rods, small rods= T. pyogenes
Virulence factors of actinomyces spp
-not well defined
Virulence factors of Trueperella pyogenes
-Pyolysin (cytotoxin) which work against neutrophils, and can be dermonecrotic in lab animals
-Neuraminidases, collagen binding proteins and fimbriae help with adhesion
Virulence factors of Dermatophilus congolensis
-Have proteases to help with tissue breakdown
Virulence factors of Nocardia
-Facultative intracellular parasites, growing in polymorphonuclear neutrophils, inhibit phagosome-lysosome fusion in macrophages
Clinical significance of Actinomyces bovis
-In cattle, normally present in oral microbiota but they enter with invasion of damaged tissue (course feed, plant awns)
-lumpy jaw= mandibular lesions
>periosteal new bone formation in response to infection, fibrosis, hard immovable painless masses, may develop draining tracts
Treatment of actinomyces bovis/lumpy jaw
**lumpy jaw becomes painful when teeth are involved, and they become reluctant to eat
Treat with debridement and antimicrobials (disinfectants for draining tracts, and penicillin)
Treatment can stop growth, but lesion regression will be minimal.
Prevention=use high quality feed