Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Pseudomonadota
Class:	Gammaproteobacteria
Order:	Pasteurellales
Family:	Pasteurellaceae
Genus:	Aggregatibacter
Species:	A. actinomycetemcomitans
Binomial name
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Klinger 1912) Nørskov-Lauritsen and Kilian 2006
Synonyms
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Klinger 1912) Topley and Wilson 1929 (Approved Lists 1980) "Bacterium actinomycetemcomitans" Klinger 1912 Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans (Klinger 1912) Potts et al. 1985

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobe, nonmotile bacterium that is often found in association with localized aggressive periodontitis, a severe infection of the periodontium. It is also suspected to be involved in chronic periodontitis.^[1] Less frequently, A. actinomycetemcomitans is associated with nonoral infections such as endocarditis. Its role in aggressive periodontitis was first discovered by Danish-born periodontist Jørgen Slots, a professor of dentistry and microbiology at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.^{[citation needed]}

'Bacterium actinomycetem comitans' was first described by Klinger (1912) as coccobacillary bacteria isolated with Actinomyces from actinomycotic lesions in humans. It was reclassified as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by Topley & Wilson (1929) and as Haemophilus actinomycetemcomitans by Potts et al. (1985). The species has attracted attention because of its association with localized aggressive periodontitis.^[2]