Diagnostic Cytopathology· 2017Q3· Review
The cytopathology of <i>Actinomyces</i>, <i>Nocardia</i>, and their mimickers
- 63citations
- Q3SCImago
- 2017year
Short summary
Cytopathology can distinguish Actinomyces and Nocardia infections, which often present similarly, by examining filamentous width, branching angles, and acid-fast staining.
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Key points
- Actinomyces and Nocardia share similar cytomorphologic features like thin, beaded, branching, Gram-positive filaments.
- Key differentiating features include filament width, branching angles, and retention of modified acid-fast stain.
- Clinical presentations, particularly pulmonary and mucocutaneous, frequently overlap between Actinomyces and Nocardia infections.
- Accurate differentiation is essential due to differing medical management strategies, including antibiotic choices and the need for surgery.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Nocardia species and Actinomyces species are 2 of the most commonly diagnosed filamentous bacteria in routine cytopathology practice. These genera share many overlapping cytomorphologic features, including their thin, beaded, branching, Gram-positive, GMS-positive filamentous structures that fragment at their peripheries into bacillary- and coccoid-appearing forms. Features that help distinguish between these 2 microorganisms include the width of their filamentous structures, the angles at which they branch, and their ability or lack thereof to retain a modified acid-fast stain. In addition to cytomorphologic overlap, overlap in clinical presentation is frequent with pulmonary and mucocutaneous presentations seen in both. Differentiating between Nocardia and Actinomyces is essential because patients with these infections require different approaches to medical management. Both antibiotic susceptibilities and the need for early surgical intervention as part of the treatment plan vary greatly among these 2 groups. This review focuses on the clinical presentation, cytomorphology and staining characteristics that can be useful in identifying and distinguishing between Nocardia and Actinomyces infections, as well as their mimickers.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Diagnostic Cytopathology, 2017 · DOI ↗
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Field: Microbiology
MicrobiologyMedicine