380 VETERINARY BACTERIOLOGY 



Actinomyces or Streptothrices, culture and animal inoculation 

 are necessary. 



Transmission. The disease is probably transmitted by wound 

 infection, but this is not certainly known. 



Actinomyces caprae 



Synonyms. Streptothrix caprce and possibly S. cam's. 



Disease Produced. Actinomycosis (streptothricosis) in goats, 

 possibly in the dog. 



Silberschmidt, in 1899, published a description of an organism 

 belonging to this group, which he isolated from a goat affected 





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wrv \ 





Fig. 165. Actinomyces caprce, stained mount from culture (Musgrave, Clegg, 

 and Polk, in "Philippine Journal of Science"). 



with a disease which closely simulated tuberculosis. It has been 

 studied by several other investigators, who are in agreement that 

 it should be regarded as a distinct species. 



Morphology and Staining. Morphologically, it resembles the 

 true bacteria more than other members of this group. The fila- 

 ments are comparatively short, and show little tendency to form 

 tangled masses, but separate easily. Both in culture and in the 

 lesions rod forms and cocci are predominant. It stains with the 

 anilin dyes rather irregularly, and is alcohol and acid-fast. 



Isolation and Culture. The organism grows rather readily 

 upon most of the laboratory media, so that isolation is not a matter 



