Where is Actinomyces Odontolyticus found?

Actinomyces species are natural commensals in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) and urogenital tracts. They are Gram-positive bacilli (figure 1) and associated with the formation of abscesses when they gain access to deep tissues, including bone and muscle. These abscesses tend to be slow to respond to antibiotics.

What is the treatment for Actinomyces?

In most cases of actinomycosis, antimicrobial therapy is the only treatment required, although surgery can be adjunctive in selected cases. Penicillin G is the drug of choice for treating infections caused by actinomycetes. Parenteral antibiotics are administered initially via PICC line, with transition to oral agents.

Is Actinomyces Odontolyticus normal flora?

Actinomyces species are found in humans as normal flora throughout the upper respiratory, gastrointestinal, and female genital tracts. They are particularly common in the oral cavity where nine species are found Sarkonen et al (2001), and they are prominent components of dental plaque and calculus Shuster (2002).

How serious is Actinomyces?

Actinomycosis is a rare type of bacterial infection. It can be very serious but can usually be cured with antibiotics.

What are the symptoms of Actinomyces?

Symptoms may include any of the following:

  • Draining sores in the skin, especially on the chest wall from lung infection with actinomyces.
  • Fever.
  • Mild or no pain.
  • Swelling or a hard, red to reddish-purple lump on the face or upper neck.
  • Weight loss.

What kind of infection is Actinomyces?

Actinomycosis is a subacute-to-chronic bacterial infection caused by filamentous, gram-positive, non–acid-fast, anaerobic-to-microaerophilic bacteria.

Which areas of the body can be affected by actinomycosis infection?

Infection typically involves the neck and face, lungs, or abdominal and pelvic organs. Microscopically, Actinomyces appears as distinctive “sulfur” granules (rounded or spherical particles, usually yellowish, and ≤ 1 mm in diameter) or as tangled masses of branched and unbranched wavy bacterial filaments.

How do you know your body is fighting an infection?

Symptoms of an infected cut or wound can include: redness in the area of the wound, particularly if it spreads or forms a red streak. swelling or warmth in the affected area. pain or tenderness at or around the site of the wound.