This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Clarridge, J. E. Articles by Zhang, Q. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Clarridge, J. E., III Articles by Zhang, Q.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3442-3448, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3442-3448.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Genotypic Diversity of Clinical Actinomyces Species: Phenotype, Source, and Disease Correlation among Genospecies

Jill E. Clarridge III^1,2,3* and Qing Zhang¹

Department of Pathology,¹ Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine,² Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas³

Received 28 March 2002/ Returned for modification 25 May 2002/ Accepted 8 June 2002

We determined the frequency distribution of Actinomyces spp. recovered in a routine clinical laboratory and investigated the clinical significance of accurate identification to the species level. We identified 92 clinical strains of Actinomyces, including 13 strains in the related Arcanobacterium-Actinobaculum taxon, by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and recorded their biotypes, sources, and disease associations. The clinical isolates clustered into 21 genogroups. Twelve genogroups (74 strains) correlated with a known species, and nine genogroups (17 strains) did not. The individual species had source and disease correlates. Actinomyces turicensis was the most frequently isolated species and was associated with genitourinary tract specimens, often with other organisms and rarely with inflammatory cells. Actinomyces radingae was most often associated with serious, chronic soft tissue abscesses of the breast, chest, and back. Actinomyces europaeus was associated with skin abscesses of the neck and genital areas. Actinomyces lingnae, Actinomyces gravenitzii, Actinomyces odontolyticus, and Actinomyces meyeri were isolated from respiratory specimens, while A. odontolyticus-like strains were isolated from diverse sources. Several of the species were commonly coisolated with a particular bacterium: Actinomyces israelii was the only Actinomyces spp. coisolated with Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) actinomycetemcomitans; Actinomyces meyeri was coisolated with Peptostreptococcus micros and was the only species other than A. israelii associated with sulfur granules in histological specimens. Most genogroups had consistent biotypes (as determined with the RapID ANA II system); however, strains were misidentified, and many codes were not in the database. One biotype was common to several genogroups, with all of these isolates being identified as A. meyeri. Despite the recent description of new Actinomyces spp., 19% of the isolates recovered in our routine laboratory belonged to novel genospecies. One novel group with three strains, Actinomyces houstonensis sp. nov., was phenotypically similar to A. meyeri and A. turicensis but was genotypically closest to Actinomyces neuii. A. houstonensis sp. nov. was associated with abscesses. Our data documented consistent site and disease associations for 21 genogroups of Actinomyces spp. that provide greater insights into appropriate treatments. However, we also demonstrated a complexity within the Actinomyces genus that compromises the biochemical identification of Actinomyces that can be performed in most clinical laboratories. It is our hope that this large group of well-defined strains will be used to find a simple and accurate biochemical test for differentiation of the species in routine laboratories.

---

* Corresponding author. Present address: VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98102. Phone: (206) 277-4514. Fax: (206) 764-2001. E-mail: jill.clarridge{at}med.va.gov.

---

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3442-3448, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3442-3448.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Renvoise, A., Raoult, D., Roux, V. (2009). Actinomyces massiliensis sp. nov., isolated from a patient blood culture. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59: 540-544 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Watkins, R. R., Anthony, K., Schroder, S., Hall, G. S. (2008). Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Infection Caused by Actinomyces neuii subsp. neuii. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 1888-1889 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lely, R. J., van Es, H. W. (2005). Case 85: Pelvic Actinomycosis in Association with an Intrauterine Device. Radiology 236: 492-494 [Full Text]  
• Clarridge, J. E. III (2004). Impact of 16S rRNA Gene Sequence Analysis for Identification of Bacteria on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 17: 840-862 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Santala, A.-M., Sarkonen, N., Hall, V., Carlson, P., Jousimies-Somer, H., Kononen, E. (2004). Evaluation of Four Commercial Test Systems for Identification of Actinomyces and Some Closely Related Species. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 418-420 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sixou, J.-L., Magaud, C., Jolivet-Gougeon, A., Cormier, M., Bonnaure-Mallet, M. (2003). Evaluation of the Mandibular Third Molar Pericoronitis Flora and Its Susceptibility to Different Antibiotics Prescribed in France. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 5794-5797 [Abstract] [Full Text]