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The Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans bacterium

Learn more about the Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans bacterium in this article.

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The Aggregatibacter actinomycetem comitans

Background

There is a strong relationship between the presence of A.a. and the occurrence of juvenile and refractory periodontitis. In this situation, the bacterium is often only present in very high numbers, without the others periopathogensbeing able to be detected. A.a. cannot be removed mechanically (scaling and root planing) because it occurs everywhere in the mouth, not only in the periodontal pocket. Van A.a. has been shown to be transferable, particularly vertically from parent to child.

Risk

Mainly because of the many enzymes that this bacterium can make, it is able to use many substances as a food source. This can cause a lot of tissue damage. He also provokes very strong defensive reactions. The A.a. bacterium produces substances (leukotoxins) that are toxic to leukocytes and monocytes. Other virulence factors are the production of toxins that take over the control system of eukariotic cells (cytolethal distending toxins) and immunosuppression factors that inhibit blastogenesis and antibody production and activate T-supressor cells. Publications show that the A.a. bacterium is probably involved in endocarditis and pneumonia.

Colony characteristics

On a special agar plate you can see colonies with a star-shaped pattern. This makes the A.a. easily recognisable during cultivation. It is an optional anaerobic bacterium, so it grows in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments at an increased concentration of CO2. The bacterium is visible as a Gram-negative rod under the microscope.

Antibiotic sensitivity

A.a. is sensitive to amoxicillin, clarithromycin and doxycyclin, but almost insensitive to metronidazole.

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