What does Actinomyces cause
Rachel Hickman
Published May 06, 2026
Actinomycosis
What disease is caused by Actinomyces?
Actinomycosis is a chronic localized or hematogenous anaerobic infection caused by Actinomyces israelii and other species of Actinomyces. Findings are a local abscess with multiple draining sinuses, a tuberculosis-like pneumonitis, and low-grade systemic symptoms.
What bacteria causes lumpy jaw?
Cause. Lumpy jaw is a disease the jaw bone caused by a bacterial infection. The causative organism (Actinomyces bovis) of Lumpy jaw enters the soft tissue of the mouth through open wounds. These wounds can be created by foreign bodies (sticks, wire), plant awns, foxtail awns, or rough coarse feeds.
Can Actinomyces cause cancer?
Pulmonary actinomycosis was the major clinical presentation in 33 of 46 patients. Actinomyces odontolyticus is the most common species followed by Actinomyces israelii. Lung cancer was present or diagnosed soon after the diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycosis in 10 patients.What causes lumpy jaw in humans?
Actinomycosis (lumpy jaw) is caused by a bacteria introduced to face tissues by trauma, surgery or infection.
How do I know if I have actinomycetes?
Actinomycosis is usually diagnosed through a fluid or tissue sample from the affected area. Your doctor uses a microscope to check the sample for Actinomyces bacteria. Any such bacteria appear as yellowish granules.
How do I get rid of actinomycetes?
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.
What does lumpy jaw look like?
Clinical signs. Lumpy jaw can occur in bony and soft tissues, but is predominantly seen in the bones of the upper and lower jaw. The first symptom noted is usually swelling, as the bone becomes enlarged and honeycombed, and full of pus.What is pulmonary actinomycosis?
Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare lung infection caused by bacteria. Air is breathed in through the nasal passageways, travels through the trachea and bronchi to the lungs.
Is Actinomyces Bovis zoonotic?It is important to note that Actinomyces bovis is a zoonotic organism causing granulomas, abscesses, skin lesions, and bronchopneumonia in humans.
Article first time published onWhy is Actinomycosis called lumpy jaw?
Actinomycosis, commonly called ‘Lumpy Jaw’, is caused by the bacteria Actinomyces bovis, which is a normal inhabitant of the bovine mouth. Actinomycosis is a chronic bacterial disease and is more common in cattle than in goats and sheep.
Can actinomycosis be fatal?
Actinomycetes can rarely cause intracranial infection and may cause a variety of complications. We describe a fatal case of intracranial and intra-orbital actinomycosis of odontogenic origin with a unique presentation and route of dissemination.
What is cattle Woody tongue?
Wooden tongue is a well-defined disease of the soft tissues of the mouth region in adult cattle. It is caused by actinobacillosis lignieresii, part of the normal bacterial flora of the upper digestive tract. The bacteria usually invade the skin through a wound or minor trauma caused by sticks or straw or barley awns.
What is bottle jaw?
Bottle jaw (Figure 2) is fluid accumulation (edema) that occurs in the intermandibular space (space between the two arms of the lower jawbone). Edema is caused by disruption of the normal balance of pressure and/or proteins between the blood and the spaces between cells located outside the blood vessels.
How common is actinomycosis?
Cervicofacial actinomycosis is the most common type of the infection, comprising 50-70% of reported cases. This infection typically occurs following oral surgery or in patients with poor dental hygiene.
Is Actinomyces a bacteria or fungi?
Actinomycetes are a group of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in the order Actinomycetales. These organisms are phylogenetically diverse but morphologically similar, exhibiting characteristic filamentous branching structures which then fragment into bacillary or coccoid forms (1) (Figure 1).
Does Actinomyces on Pap need to be treated?
In the absence of symptoms, women with Actinomyces-like organisms on a Pap test do not need antimicrobial treatment or IUD removal.
What antibiotics are used for Actinomyces?
ActinomycesNocardiaCourse:IndolentSubacute to IndolentRx:Penicillin G, ampicillin/amoxicillin, antipseudomonal PCNs, most cephalosporins, macrolides, tetracycline, imipenem, clindamycinTMP/SMX, imipenem, amikacin, linezolid
What antibiotics cover Actinomyces?
Preferred regimens — We generally suggest high-dose penicillin for actinomycosis [1-3]. Reasonable alternatives include ceftriaxone and amoxicillin.
What is mycobacterial lung infection?
Mycobacterial lung infections are caused by a group of bacteria, mycobacteria, that includes the causative-agents of tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy. There are also nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), ubiquitous in soil, water, food, on the surfaces of many plants and within buildings, particularly within water pipes.
Which situation will happen when you have emphysema?
In emphysema, the inner walls of the lungs’ air sacs (alveoli) are damaged, causing them to eventually rupture. This creates one larger air space instead of many small ones and reduces the surface area available for gas exchange. Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath.
What causes bacterial lung infections?
The most common causes of bacterial lung infections in normal hosts include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In compromised hosts, the bacterial causes of pneumonia are much broader, including species not usually considered of high virulence in humans.
What is CL disease in goats?
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronic, contagious bacterial disease that manifests clinically as abscesses of peripheral and/or internal lymph nodes and organs. The characteristic purulent material is very thick and nonodorous.
How long can a goat live with CL?
If an abscess ruptures in a pasture, the organic material (soil, grass) is contaminated, and the pasture should be rested for a prolonged period of time; CL has been shown to survive in soil for 8 months.
What fly causes summer mastitis?
Sick cow caused by summer mastitis. Transmission of infection is thought to be by the head fly (Hydrotea irritans). These flies live in bushes and trees, and can only fly during mild, damp humid conditions and low wind speeds thus cases tend to be associated with “problem fields” next to woods and high hedges.
Is Lumpy jaw painful?
The initial swelling of the jaw bone/bones is usually painless and the animals exhibit few clinical symptoms. Once the disease has advanced, the lesions may affect the teeth and the position of the jaws, leading to inappetence and emaciation.
What causes lump jaw in cows?
Lump jaw starts when a sharp object, such as a stiff piece of hay or a bit of metal, makes a cut in the cow’s gums. The object pushes bacteria into the cut as it jabs into the soft tissue, sometimes infecting the cow down to the bone. The bacteria grow inside the gums or bone, causing an abscess to form.
Is actinomycosis and Actinomycetoma same?
Actinomycosis is to be differentiated from actinomycetoma, which is a chronic infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, usually involving the foot (see mycetoma). Actinomycetoma is caused by different species of Actinomyces that are found in soil and plant material in tropical regions.
How do you get Actinomyces israelii?
Actinomycosis is most frequently caused by A. israelii. It is a normal colonizer of the vagina, colon, and mouth. Infection is established first by a breach of the mucosal barrier during various procedures (dental, gastrointestinal), aspiration, or pathologies such as diverticulitis.
Is Actinomyces rare?
Actinomycosis is a rare, infectious disease in which bacteria spread from one part of the body to another through body tissues. Over time, it can result in linked abscesses, pain, and inflammation. It can affect the skin or deeper areas within the body and sometimes the blood.
How serious is Actinomyces?
Actinomycosis is a rare type of bacterial infection. It can be very serious but can usually be cured with antibiotics.