Introduction

INTRODUCTION
  • Actinomyces have some of the characters resembling bacteria and others those of fungi.
  • Among bacteria they are more nearer to the acid-fast group of organisms, although they are not acid fast.
  • Actinomyces bovis (A. Israeli) is the causative agent of the condition known as lumpy jaw in cattle.
  • Actinomycosis in men and animals is characterized by the chronic suppurative and granulomatous type of lesions which are usually confined to the head and neck region.
  • The pus discharged from the sinuses has characteristic yellowish sulphur granules.
  • The granules when crushed on a slide under a cover slip reveal fine-branched filaments surrounded by club-shaped structures at the periphery.
  • On staining by Gram’s method, the filaments (hyphae) take Gram positive stain but the clubs are stained as Gram negative.
Last modified: Monday, 4 June 2012, 6:13 AM