Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
| Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans | |
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actinomycetemcomitans
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| Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Klinger, 1912)
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Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans) is a Gram-negative, facultative nonmotile, rod-shaped oral commensal often found in association with localized aggressive periodontitis, a severe infection of the periodontium, although it is also associated with nonoral infections. Its role in periodontitis was first discovered by Danish-born periodontist Jørgen Slots, a professor of dentistry and microbiology at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.
'Bacterium actinomycetem comitans' was described by Klinger (1912) as coccobacillary bacteria isolated together with Actinomyces from actinomycotic lesions of man. It was reclassified as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by Topley & Wilson (1929) and as Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans by Potts et al. (1985). The species has attracted attention because of its association with localized aggressive periodontitis.[1]
Contents
Nomenclature
Recent studies have shown a phylogenetic similarity of A. actinomycetemcomitans and Haemophilus aphrophilus, H. paraphrophilus, and H. segnis, suggesting the new genus Aggregatibacter for them.[1]
Importance
It is one of the bacteria that might be implicated in destructive periodontal disease. Although it has been found more frequently in localized aggressive periodontitis,[2] prevalence in any population is rather high. It has also been isolated from actinomycotic lesions (mixed infection with certain Actinomyces species, in particular A. israelii). It possesses certain virulence factors that enable it to invade tissues, such as leukotoxin. It has also been isolated from women with bacterial vaginosis.[3]
Virulence factors
- Leukotoxin; kills PMNs and monocytes
- Cytolethal distending toxin
- Immunosuppression factors that inhibit blastogenesis, antibody production and activate T-suppressor cells
- Inhibition of PMNs functions
- Resistant to complement-mediated killing
- Lipopolysaccharides
- Surface antigens
- Heat shock proteins
- Antimicrobial resistance
A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes
- a strain, for example ATCC 29523, frequently in oral cavity, variable leukotoxin expression
- b strain Y4, most frequently in localized aggressive periodontitis, leukotoxin expression
- c strain ATCC 33384, low leukotoxin
- serotypes d, e
