Actinomyces
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 Agar plate culture of an Actinomyces species.
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A. bovis |
Actinomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria. Some species are anaerobic, while others are facultatively anaerobic . Actinomyces species do not form spores, and, while individual bacteria are rod-shaped, morphologically Actinomyces colonies form fungus-like branched networks of hyphae.[1]
Many Actinomyces species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and other mammals, particularly in the oral cavity.[2] In rare cases, these bacteria can cause actinomycosis, a disease characterized by the formation of abscesses in the mouth, lungs, or the gastrointestinal tract.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Holt JG (editor) (1994). Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 9th ed., Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 0-683-00603-7.
- ^ Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). (2005). Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 11th ed., Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-144329-1.
- ^ Bowden GHW (1996). Actinomycosis in: Baron's Medical Microbiology (Baron S et al, eds.), 4th ed., Univ of Texas Medical Branch. (via NCBI Bookshelf) ISBN 0-9631172-1-1.
[edit] External links
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