Actinomycosis laboratory tests

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Jesus Rosario Hernandez, M.D. [2]Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [3]

The diagnosis of actinomycosis can be confirmed by either a positive bacterial culture or by histopathological identification.

The gold standard for diagnosing actinomycosis is the histological examination and bacterial culture. Other laboratory findings are non-specific and include^[1][2]

• Anemia with mild leucocytosis
• Elevated ESR, and CRP
• Elevated alkaline phosphatase in hepatic actinomycosis

• The isolation and identification of Actinomyces can confirm a diagnosis of actinomycosis.
• Common clinical specimens employed in isolation are samples of pus from infected tissue.
• Cultures are positive between the 7th and 21st day when grown anaerobically at 37°C.

Findings on microscopy that are supportive for diagnosing actinomycosis include:

• Gram-positive
• Filamentous organisms
• Sulfur granules

• 
  Actinomycosis bovis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis bovis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomyces sp. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis viscosus. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis viscosus. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis naeslundi. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis naeslundi. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis naeslundi. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]
• 
  Actinomycosis naeslundi. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). ^[3]

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