276
"Actinomycosis" and Actinobacillosis in Animals
diaphragm. The primary lesions as well as the metastatic ones were histologi-
cally identical with typical " actinomycosis ". Magnusson mentions that
Hulphers had obtained the same bacillus from nineteen out of sixty-seven jaw-
lesions and Gunst [1927] from four out of seventeen cases. Experiments to
produce the disease by inoculation of the pus-granules into healthy bovines
were negative. The bacillus may, however, be looked upon as one capable of
producing a chronic granuloma containing actino-bodies.
From what has been mentioned above it will be apparent that in diag-
nosing " actinomycosis " in animals the etiological agent should be the decid-
ing factor if an expressive nomenclature is to be adopted. It has often been
realised that the use of the comprehensive non-specific term " actinomycosis "
leads to confusion. Thus loose statements are sometimes made that in actino-
mycosis of the tongue and jaw, the lymph glands are affected ; the condition
actually implied is actinobacillosis.
Like Lignieres and Spitz [1902], Colebrook [1930] suggested the term
actinophytosis to embody all disease conditions wherein granules with actino¬
bodies are formed, irrespective of etiology. Thus he suggested terms such as
actinophytosis due to A. bovis (actinomycosis), due to A. lignieres (actino-
bacillosis), due to Staphylococcus pyogenes, or due to Corynebacterium pyogenes.
He also made a difference between actinomycosis due to A. bovis, and paracti¬
nomycosis (also an actinophytosis) due to filamentous micro-parasites other
than A. bovis. He reserved the term streptothricosis for infections due to
" filamentous organisms but showing no granules, or with granules with no
clubs ". Bosworth [1930] suggested the terms ' actinomycosis ' due to A.
bovis, ' actinobacillosis ' due to A. lignieresi and ' botryomycosis ' due to
Staphylococcus pyogenes. There should be no objection to the adoption of the
former two terms but the expression ' botryomycosis ' would lead to con-
fusion. As it is, the term is inappropriate even in the case of the well-known
equine malady. Considering the facts that the term has become well establish-
ed for the equine disease, that it is suggestive of a mycotic infection, and that
the disease may also occur in the equine udder [Hutyra and Marek, 1926]
the term should not be adopted for designating " actinomycotic " mastitis in
bovines. Davies [1935] has suggested the term ' actinococcosis ' which is
expressive and at the same time homologous with the other two terms, actino-
mycosis and actinobacillosis. But unlike Colebrook, Davies has not taken
into consideration the evidence adduced by Magnusson [1928] in favour of
C. pyogenes being a potential actinobody-producer in chronic infections.
Should the contention of Magnusson be substantiated in future we will be re-
quired to add another ' actino
'to Davies ' list.
It is a pity that Colebrook's suggestions have not met with general appro-
val in spite of the fact that his nomenclature is open to further addition of
actinophytoses as new etiological agents are discovered, and that the term
' actinophytosis ' is a non-specific and yet an expressive one, and should only be
used to designate conditions other than actinomycosis and actinobacillosis
which terms should be specifically employed,