The Pathogenic Role of <i>Actinomyces</i> spp. and Related Organisms in Genitourinary Infections: Discoveries in the New, Modern Diagnostic Era

• Main Authors: Márió Gajdács, Edit Urbán
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
• Series: Antibiotics
• Subjects: <i>Actinomyces</i>; <i>Actinomyces</i>-like organisms; <i>Actinotignum</i>; anaerobe; MALDI-TOF MS; sequencing
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/8/524

Actinomycosis is a chronic, suppurative, granulomatous infectious disease, caused by different species of <i>Actinomyces</i> bacteria. To date, 26 validly published <i>Actinomyces</i> species have been described as part of a normal human microbiota or from human clinical specimens. Due to the rapid spread of new, modern diagnostic procedures, 13 of 26 of these species have been described in this century and the <i>Actinomycetaceae</i> family has undergone several taxonomic revisions, including the introduction of many novel species termed <i>Actinomyces</i>-like organisms (ALOs). There is scarce data available on the role of these novel bacterial species in various infectious processes in human medicine. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of <i>Actinomyces</i> and closely related organisms involved in human diseases—with a special focus on newly described species—in particular their role in genitourinary tract infections in females and males.