Medically Important Aerobic Actinomycetes
Continuing Education Credits
This course describes the significance of medically important aerobic actinomycetes. Microscopy, morphology, and identification methods are discussed. Susceptibility testing and treatment of infections are also included in this module. This module is intended for medical microbiologists having basic bacteriology experience.
Objectives
- Describe the significance of medically important actinomycetes, including reservoir, pathogenesis, and epidemiology, as well as proper safety protocol.
- Explain the preparation of specimens and staining techniques with expected reactions for aerobic actinomycetes.
- Describe media, basic tests for phenotypic characterization, and several genotypic identification methods used to isolate and identify aerobic actinomycetes.
- State the status of serological assays and MALDI-TOF.
- Summarize several genera and species of medically important aerobic actinomycetes and recognize specific identifying characteristics of notable aerobic actinomycetes.
- Demonstrate an understanding of susceptibility testing and the treatment of human aerobic actinomycetes infections.
Course Outline
- Significance: Reservoir, Pathogenesis, and Epidemiology
- Introduction: Background, Classification, and Safety
- Reservoir
- Pathogenesis
- Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Forms
- Pulmonary Forms
- Disseminated Forms
- Epidemiology
- The reservoir of actinomycetes is:
- Which aerobic actinomycetes are most commonly encountered among medical cases in the United States?
- Laboratories should use which biosafety level when processing aerobic actinomycetes?
- Laboratory Preparation of Specimens
- General Characteristics and Specimen Preparation
- All of the following are true of specimen preparation for isolation of the aerobic actinomycetes, except:
- Laboratory Identification: Microscopy
- Microscopy: Staining Techniques
- Microscopy: Staining Reactions
- Microscopy: Sulfur Granules
- A modified Kinyoun acid-fast staining technique uses:
- When viewing a direct Gram stain of suspected aerobic actinomycetes, all of the following may be seen, except:
- Laboratory Identification: Morphology and Testing
- Media for Propagating Aerobic Actinomycetes
- Primary Media
- Selective Media
- Primary isolation medium for sterile body site specimens include:
- After initial growth is achieved, subcultures of suspected aerobic actinomycetes should include which different incubation temperatures to determine the temperature of optimal growth?
- Traditional Methods of Phenotypic Characterization
- Phenotypic Characterization
- Media and Methods Used for Identification
- Lysozyme Test Flowchart
- Decomposition of Substrates
- All of the following tests may be used to aid in the phenotypic characterization of the aerobic actinomycetes, except:
- Decomposition of substrates among the aerobic actinomycetes refers to:
- Genotypic Identification Methods
- Chromatography
- Molecular Methods
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Other Molecular Tests
- In the identification of aerobic actinomycetes, HPLC methods are:
- Which of the following is a true statement?
- Serological Assays and MALDI-TOF
- Serological Assays
- MALDI-TOF
- Regarding the identification of aerobic actinomycetes, select the accurate statement:
- Regarding MALDI-TOF, select the incorrect statement:
- Description of Medically Important Aerobic Actinomycetes Genera and Species
- Genera and Species
- Nocardia
- Streptomyces
- Rhodococcus
- Gordonia
- Actinomadura
- Tsukamurella
- Williamsia
- Other Similar Organisms
- Choose the statement that is true about Nocardia.
- Regarding Rhodococcus, which statement is false?
- Susceptibility Testing and Treatment of Aerobic Actinomycetes Infections
- Susceptibility Testing: Methods and Limitations
- Susceptibility Testing: Typical Profiles
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Regarding susceptibility testing methods of the aerobic actinomycetes, which statement is false?
- For Nocardia, Streptomyces, and Actinomadura infections, the usual drug of choice is:
- References
- References
Additional Information
Level of Instruction: Intermediate to advanced
Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical
laboratory technicians, microbiologists, infection control members, and pathologists. This
course is also appropriate for MLS and MLT students and pathology residents.
Author Information: Dr. Julie Ann West is certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and as a Specialist in Microbiology (SM). In addition, Dr. West has earned a PhD in Public Health - Infectious Disease Epidemiology - and is Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Dr. West is experienced as a Technical Specialist, Safety Officer, Educator, and Lead in the Veterans Administration.
The author has no
conflict of interest to disclose.
Reviewer Information:
Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM, is
a Lead Education Developer. She earned a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science
from the University of North Dakota and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
from Saint Xavier University. She has over 15 years of experience in higher
education and has held program director and faculty positions in both MLT and
MLS programs.
Nicole Darius, MLS(ASCP)CM, is experienced as a Microbiology Supervisor, Safety and Biosafety Officer, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Control member, Lean certified, and Quality Assurance specialist in the Veterans Administration Healthcare System. She also has previous experience as a generalist medical laboratory scientist in chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, and blood bank.
Course Description: This course describes the significance of medically important aerobic actinomycetes. Microscopy, morphology, and identification methods are discussed. Susceptibility testing and treatment of infections are also included in this module. This module is intended for medical microbiologists with basic bacteriology experience.