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Artifacts
Actinomyces Species
- Organ System
- Respiratory Tract, Genitourinary Tract, Soft Tissue & Bone
- Diagnostic Method
- Cytology
- Geographical Region
- Dry Areas,
- Islands,
- Tropical and Subtropical Region,
- Polar and Subpolar Zone,
- Temperate Zone
Cervical smear, basophilic actinomycetic…
Lung, cytobrusch, actinomycetic filamentous…
Jaw, FNA, granular bacterial clumps of…
Jaw mass, FNA, granular clumps of…
Sputum, squamous epithelial cells…
Sputum, squamous epithelial cells…
Sputum, squamous epithelial cells…Morphology
Cytology:
Basophilic filamentous, branching gram-positive colonies with an eosinophilic splendore–hoeppli rim (“sulfur granules”); background often neutrophil-rich. AFS (ZN) negative.
Histology:
Compact bacterial colonies with eosinophilic club-like material, surrounding fibrosis; mixed suppurative inflammation. AFS (ZN) negative; highlighted by Gram stain, PAS, and GMS/Grocott.
Clinical notes
Chronic, indurated masses with draining sinus tracts (“lumpy jaw”); thoracic disease can mimic malignancy; abdominopelvic forms after perforation or IUD. Good response to prolonged high-dose beta-lactams (e.g., penicillin), often with drainage/debridement.
Ancillary Testing
Gram stain; anaerobic culture with prolonged incubation; MALDI-TOF; 16S rRNA sequencing if needed. Consider broad PCR from tissue in culture-negative cases. Colonies: small, rough, heaped “molar-tooth” colonies on anaerobic blood agar, firmly adherent, white to gray-yellow and often chalky, with spidery/rhizoid edges after prolonged anaerobic incubation.Additional Information
Differentiate from Nocardia: Actinomyces are non-acid-fast anaerobes; Nocardia are partially acid-fast aerobes.
Contamination possible - oral/GI/genital tract commensal.
