VI. IDENTIFICATION OF ACTINOM YCES AND ARACHNIA
311
1970b) used the technique to revise the initial serological groups and
eliminate organisms recognized as anaerobic diphtheroids. These results
showed that the serological groups paralleled species as identified by morphological and biochemical criteria which meant that FA could be used as a
tool for the rapid identification of Actinomyces species. I n 1967, Gerencser
and Slack showed that Arachnia propionica could also be distinguished
serologically using FA. This species had been largely unrecognised before
this time, partly because of the difficulty of separating it from A . israelii.
FA has been used widely for identifying species of Actinomyces, some
examples of which will be given below.
Lambert et al. (1967) identified A . israelli and A . naeslundii and separated
these species from other Actinomyces and from corynebacteria using FA.
FA was also used in identifying A . viscosus isolated from animals (Georg
et al., 1972) and in identifying Arachnia propionica from cases of human
actinomycosis (Brock et al., 1973). Bellack and Jordan (1972) were able
to identify A . viscosus from rodent sources and to confirm the serological
differences between human and rodent strains with a combination of
agglutination tests and FA. Holmberg and Forsum (1973) identified all
five species of Actinomyces and Arachnia propionica in a group of Grampositive filamentous organisms isolated from dental plaque.
Schaal and Pulverer (1973) showed that indirect FA staining may also
be used to identify Actinomyces. By using absorbed sera, the authors
identified 499 of 526 actinomycete cultures isolated from clinical specimens. This included 461 strains of A . israelii, 23 of A . naeslundii and 14 of
Arachnia propionica.
B. Identification in clinical material
Both Actinomyces and Arachnia have been identified in direct smears
of various tissues and exudates and in tissue sections. Slack et al. (1966)
reported the diagnosis of two cases of actinomycosis by observation of the
causative organism in exudate from the lesions. In both cases, an Actinomyces was isolated from the lesion. We have also identified Arachnia
propionica, A . odmtolyticus and A . israelii in two cases of lacrimal caniliculitis by direct FA staining of homogenised clinical material and by
culture (Slack and Gerencser, 1975). I n each case an Actinomyces and
Arachnia propionica were present. The mixed infections were first recognised by the examination of the direct FA stains. I n the case involving A.
israelii and Arachnia propionica, the presence of two organisms would not
have been suspected without the previous FA staining because all the
colonies on the isolation plates were identical.
Diagnosis of a case of actinomycosis of the kidney was made possible by
the use of FA, when cultures were not available. Formalin-fixed tissue
311
1970b) used the technique to revise the initial serological groups and
eliminate organisms recognized as anaerobic diphtheroids. These results
showed that the serological groups paralleled species as identified by morphological and biochemical criteria which meant that FA could be used as a
tool for the rapid identification of Actinomyces species. I n 1967, Gerencser
and Slack showed that Arachnia propionica could also be distinguished
serologically using FA. This species had been largely unrecognised before
this time, partly because of the difficulty of separating it from A . israelii.
FA has been used widely for identifying species of Actinomyces, some
examples of which will be given below.
Lambert et al. (1967) identified A . israelli and A . naeslundii and separated
these species from other Actinomyces and from corynebacteria using FA.
FA was also used in identifying A . viscosus isolated from animals (Georg
et al., 1972) and in identifying Arachnia propionica from cases of human
actinomycosis (Brock et al., 1973). Bellack and Jordan (1972) were able
to identify A . viscosus from rodent sources and to confirm the serological
differences between human and rodent strains with a combination of
agglutination tests and FA. Holmberg and Forsum (1973) identified all
five species of Actinomyces and Arachnia propionica in a group of Grampositive filamentous organisms isolated from dental plaque.
Schaal and Pulverer (1973) showed that indirect FA staining may also
be used to identify Actinomyces. By using absorbed sera, the authors
identified 499 of 526 actinomycete cultures isolated from clinical specimens. This included 461 strains of A . israelii, 23 of A . naeslundii and 14 of
Arachnia propionica.
B. Identification in clinical material
Both Actinomyces and Arachnia have been identified in direct smears
of various tissues and exudates and in tissue sections. Slack et al. (1966)
reported the diagnosis of two cases of actinomycosis by observation of the
causative organism in exudate from the lesions. In both cases, an Actinomyces was isolated from the lesion. We have also identified Arachnia
propionica, A . odmtolyticus and A . israelii in two cases of lacrimal caniliculitis by direct FA staining of homogenised clinical material and by
culture (Slack and Gerencser, 1975). I n each case an Actinomyces and
Arachnia propionica were present. The mixed infections were first recognised by the examination of the direct FA stains. I n the case involving A.
israelii and Arachnia propionica, the presence of two organisms would not
have been suspected without the previous FA staining because all the
colonies on the isolation plates were identical.
Diagnosis of a case of actinomycosis of the kidney was made possible by
the use of FA, when cultures were not available. Formalin-fixed tissue