Actinomycosis Health Dictionary

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Actinomycosis: From 4 Different Sources

A suppurative disease from hard surfaces that soften and form punctured holes in the skin (multiple sinuses). Primarily a disease of cattle (hard mouth), infectious to man. Can affect lungs, abdomen, throat and mouth. Draining fistulas and ‘holes’ produce a pus with gram positive micro- organism (actinomyces israeli) which causes abscesses and hard swellings.

Differential diagnosis: tuberculosis and cancer.

Conventional treatment: antibiotics and surgical excision.

Herbal treatment: antiseptics, anti-microbials, vulneraries. In addition to basic formula, they will be given according to the organ or system involved. for skin give basic formula.

Alternatives. Basic formula: Combine: Echinacea 4; Goldenseal 1; Yellow Dock 2. Preparations: powders, liquid extracts, tinctures; doses taken in water or honey thrice daily.

For the lungs: add Balm of Gilead 1.

For the abdomen: add Sarsaparilla 2.

For the throat: add Red Sage 2.

For the mouth: add Myrrh quarter.

Powders. 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon).

Liquid Extracts: mix. Dose, 15-30 drops.

Tinctures: Dose, 30-60 drops thrice daily.

Dr Finlay Ellingwood. Echinacea liquid extract: 60 drops in water every 2 hours. Where ulcerative lesions are present: 10 drops in water applied externally.

Topical:– Lotion: 1 part oil Eucalyptus to 9 parts glycerine. shake well.

Diet: The fungus is more likely to become established where health is poor. Regular raw food days. Avoid liver-clogging eggs, ham, bacon, cream and excessive cheese. 

Health Source: Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine
Author: Health Encyclopedia
An infection caused by ACTINOMYCES ISRAELII or related actinomycete bacteria.

The most common form of actinomycosis affects the jaw area.

A painful swelling appears and pus discharges through small openings that develop in the skin.

Another form of actinomycosis affects the pelvis in women, causing lower abdominal pain and bleeding between periods.

This form was associated with a type of IUD, no longer in use, that did not contain copper.

Rarely, forms of the disorder affect the appendix or lung.

Actinomycosis is treated with antibiotics.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association
A chronic infectious condition caused by an anaerobic micro-organism, Actinomyces israelii, that often occurs as a COMMENSAL on the gums, teeth and tonsils. Commonest in adult men, the sites most affected are the jaw, lungs and intestine, though the disease can occur anywhere. Suppurating granulomatous tumours develop which discharge an oily, thick pus containing yellowish (‘sulphur’) granules. A slowly progressive condition, actinomycosis usually responds to antibiotic drugs but improvement may be slow and surgery is sometimes needed to drain infected sites. Early diagnosis is important. Treatment is with antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracyclines. The disease occurs in cattle, where it is known as woody tongue.
Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary
n. an infectious bacterial disease that usually takes the form of painful abscesses in the jaw. It is caused by the genus Actinomyces, with Actinomyces israelii and Actinomyces gerencseriae being responsible for the majority of infections. The bacterium is normally present in the mouth but it may become pathogenic following a dental infection, radiation therapy, or trauma causing local tissue damage (including a dental extraction). It can also affect the lungs, breast, or gastrointestinal tract. Treatment is by surgical drainage of pus and a prolonged course of antibiotics. *Hyperbaric oxygenation may also be used.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Mycosis

The general term applied to diseases due to the growth of fungi in the body. Among some of the simplest and commonest mycoses are RINGWORM, FAVUS, and thrush (CANDIDA). The MADURA FOOT of India, ACTINOMYCOSIS, and occasional cases of PNEUMONIA and suppurative ear disease are also due to the growth of moulds in the bodily tissues. Other forms of mycosis include ASPERGILLOSIS, candidiasis (see CANDIDA), CRYPTOCOCCOSIS and HISTOPLASMOSIS.... mycosis

Fungal And Yeast Infections

These infections, also called mycoses (see MYCOSIS), are common and particularly affect the skin or mucosal membranes in, for example, the mouth, anus or vagina. Fungi consist of threadlike hyphae which form tangled masses or mycelia – common mould. In what is called dermatophyte (multicellular fungi) fungal infection of the hair, nails and SKIN, these hyphae invade the KERATIN. This is usually described as ‘RINGWORM’, although no worm is present and the infection does not necessarily occur in rings. PITYRIASIS versicolor and candidosis (monoliasis – see CANDIDA), called thrush when it occurs in the vulva, vagina and mouth, are caused by unicellular fungi which reproduce by budding and are called yeasts. Other fungi, such as ACTINOMYCOSIS, may cause deep systemic infection but this is uncommon, occurring mainly in patients with immunosuppressive disorders or those receiving prolonged treatment with ANTIBIOTICS.

Diagnosis and treatment Any person with isolated, itching, dry and scaling lesions of the skin with no obvious cause – for example, no history of eczema (see DERMATITIS) – should be suspected of having a fungal infection. Such lesions are usually asymmetrical. Skin scrapings or nail clippings should be sent for laboratory analysis. If the lesions have been treated with topical steroids they may appear untypical. Ultraviolet light ?ltered through glass (Wood’s light) will show up microsporum infections, which produce a green-blue ?uorescence.

Fungal infections used to be treated quite e?ectively with benzoic-acid compound ointment; it has now been superseded by new IMIDAZOLES preparations, such as CLOTRIMAZOLE, MICONAZOLE and terbina?ne creams. The POLYENES, NYSTATIN and AMPHOTERICIN B, are e?ective against yeast infections. If the skin is macerated it can be treated with magenta (Castellani’s) paint or dusting powder to dry it out.

Refractory fungal infection can be treated systematically provided that the diagnosis of the infection has been con?rmed. Terbina?ne, imidazoles and GRISEOFULVIN can all be taken by mouth and are e?ective for yeast infections. (Griseofulvin should not be taken in pregnancy or by people with liver failure or porphyria.) (See also FUNGUS; MICROBIOLOGY.)... fungal and yeast infections

Teucrium Scordium

Linn.

Family: Labiatae, Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe; found in Kashmir.

English: Water-Germander.

Action: Stimulant, antiseptic, sudorific. Given for phthisis and cough. An infusion is used as laxative in piles, as a gargle in sore throat and stomatitis. An extract of the herb is given in lupus and actinomycosis. Flower tops and leaves—astringent, diaphoretic, vermifuge.

The herb contains iridoids, including harpagide and acetyl harpagide; fu- ranoid diterpenes; also choline, rutin, quercetin, iso-quercetin, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, beta-amyrin, chloro- genic and ursolic acids.... teucrium scordium

Actinomyces

n. a genus of Gram-positive nonmotile fungus-like bacteria that cause disease in animals and humans. The species A. israelii is the causative organism of human *actinomycosis.... actinomyces

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