[Rare infection--prolonged A. naeslundii bacteremia caused by severe caries].

Actinomyces is an anaerobic, gram positive, rod shape bacteria that doesn't create spores. Actinomyces is part of the mouth, intestines, vagina and upper respiratory system flora. The infection appears mostly on the face, neck, abdomen and pelvis in cases of mucosa injury and most common in immunosuppressed patients. The spread of Actinomyces through the blood system is rare. In this article we present a 9 year old male patient with no history of diseases who was diagnosed with prolonged bacteremia of A. naeslundii without specific infection excluding severe caries. Characterization of bacteria from the blood culture was performed by molecular biology and the patient was treated with Ampicillin and tooth extraction that led to the disappearance of the bacteremia.

Presence of Escherichia coli, Trueperella pyogenes, α-hemolytic streptococci, and coagulase-negative staphylococci and prevalence of subclinical endometritis.

Subclinical endometritis (SCE) has a severe negative effect on reproductive performance of dairy cows. Different studies have shown a wide variety of cut points for the polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocyte (PMNL) percentage to define SCE and differing sampling times. Possible risk factors for SCE, such as low body condition score, hyperketonemia, and increased haptoglobin concentrations have been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between bacterial findings in the uterus and PMNL in the early postpartum period and to compare 2 classification schemes for the diagnosis of SCE. Cytological and bacteriological samples from the uterus were taken from 149 cows at 2 consecutive times postpartum [10 ± 1 and 24 ± 1 d in milk (DIM)] and additionally, 131 cows were sampled at 21 to 27 DIM. For sample collection, the cytobrush technique was used and vaginal discharge was examined by vaginoscopy. Polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocyte cut points were set at 5, 10, and 18%. Cows positive with α-hemolytic streptococci at 10 ± 1 DIM had significant higher PMNL percentages at 21 to 27 DIM and greater median days to pregnancy (193.5d) than cows not infected (123.0 d). Cows with Trueperella pyogenes at 10±1 DIM had higher odds (5.2) of having more than 18% PMNL at 21 to 27 DIM compared with cows without infection. Escherichia coli had no effect on the prevalence of SCE regardless of the cut point. Primiparous cows with more than 18% PMNL had greater median days to pregnancy (144.5 d) than cows with less than 5% (80.0 d) or cows between 5 and 18% PMNL (68.0 d). Cows between 5 and 18% PMNL or 10 and 18% PMNL showed the best reproductive performance. The results demonstrate that an early infection with α-hemolytic streptococci increased the PMNL percentage 2 wk later and that 18% PMNL at 21 to 27 DIM was a predictive cut point for primiparous cows to diagnose animals with or without SCE.

[Primary hepatic actinomycosis concomitant with elevation of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II - report of a case].

We report a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis showing elevation of serum protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II). A 68-year-old man visited an affiliated hospital with a complaint of high fever and body weight loss. Hematological examination revealed severe inflammatory reactions and liver dysfunction. Abdominal CT showed a heterogeneous low density area composed of cystic and solid part. We suspected the cystic part with band-like enhancement to be a hepatic abscess and performed percutaneous transhepatic abscess drainage. Although inflammatory reactions decreased after the drainage, the solid part did not shrink and blood chemistry revealed elevation of PIVKA-II. Since we could not rule out the possibility of hepatoma, right hepatectomy was performed. Histological examination revealed actinomycetes. Although primary hepatic actinomycosis is a rare disease, it must be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of the liver tumor.

Influence of Escherichia coli and Arcanobacterium pyogenes isolated from bovine puerperal uteri on phenotypic and functional properties of neutrophils.

When cows develop endometritis after birth, Escherichia coli and Arcanobacterium pyogenes are usually the most prominent bacteria present in bovine uterine lochial secretions. A. pyogenes alone is rarely found in the course of a disturbed puerperium. This was confirmed in this study, since average and high-grade uterine contaminations were always associated with the presence of both bacteria. The contamination grade was positively correlated with uterine polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) numbers and negatively correlated with blood PMN numbers. Whether E. coli and A. pyogenes affect the phenotype and function of bovine PMN in a similar or differential way was subject to in vitro studies. PMN were tested in the presence of washed bacterial fragments or culture supernatants taken as a source for soluble and/or secreted bacterial products. Fragments and soluble products differed only quantitatively in their effects on PMN. Usually, long-time exposure (24h) of PMN to fragments induced the strongest effects. Accelerated death of granulocytes was only moderately induced by both E. coli and A. pyogenes products. Both E. coli and A. pyogenes products induced the enhanced expression of a membrane molecule detected by mAb IL-A110 and of CD11b. Expression of other surface structures remained largely unchanged (MHC class I, CD11c). Functional parameters of PMN (phagocytosis; generation of reactive oxygen species, ROS; antibody-independent cellular cytotoxicity, AICC) generally declined after pre-incubation for 24h with products of E. coli or A. pyogenes. Interestingly, soluble products of A. pyogenes stimulated the phagocytosis of PMN. However, co-incubation with E. coli products abrogated this stimulatory effect. The results supply evidence for similar modes of action of the gram-negative E. coli and the gram-positive A. pyogenes on bovine PMN. Alterations in PMN function and phenotype are mainly triggered by direct contact between bacterial fragments and PMN. Inhibition experiments with polymyxin B demonstrated that E. coli-mediated effects were not solely due to the action of lipopolysaccharide. The dominant functional depression of neutrophils by E. coli products strengthens the suggestion that the earlier appearance of E. coli in the uterus may support the co-infection of this organ by A. pyogenes at later times.

Blood T6-lymphocyte antigen levels as a poor resistance marker in ovine dermatophilosis.

Merino ewes lambs from a flock expected to have a high prevalence of dermatophilosis were examined for lesions at marking, weaning and prior to first shearing. Blood was collected at marking and prior to shearing to enable quantification of T6-lymphocyte antigen levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) using monoclonal antibody SBU-T6 20-27. A group of the lambs that had persistent and/or severe dermatophilosis had significantly lower (P < 0.05) mean levels of T6-lymphocyte staining in PBM than those with minimal or no dermatophilosis in blood samples collected prior to shearing. However, the wide variability of this parameter in resistant and susceptible lambs indicated that this would not be a satisfactory procedure to rank sheep for resistance to dermatophilosis.

Fusobacterium necrophorum and Actinomyces pyogenes associated facial and mandibular abscesses in blue duiker.

Anaerobic and aerobic cultures of facial and mandibular abscesses were made from 12 blue duiker (Cephalophus monticola fusicolor) housed at the Deer and Duiker Research Facility of the Pennsylvania State University (USA). Increases in concentrations of total protein and serum globulin occurred in all cases. Actinomyces pyogenes was isolated from nine animals. Fusobacterium necrophorum was present in eight and Bacteroides sp. was found in seven animals; other genera of isolated bacteria included: Streptococcus (from two animals), Lactobacillus (one), Staphylococcus (one) and Actinomyces (two). Eight (67%) of affected animals were less than or equal to 2 yr of age. Facial soft tissues and mandibles were the tissues most often affected. Tissues within the oral cavity were not affected at the time of presentation. A common finding, not reported in other host species with necrobacillosis, was the presence of nondestructive mandibular proliferation.