Lippincott chapter 8 DONE BUT WITHOUT THE FIGURES AND TABLES Flashcards
(98 cards)
What consitute the main groups of medically important gram-positive cocci?
staphylococci and streptococci
Staphylococcus areus
- one of the most common causes of bacterial infection
- important cause of food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome
Staphylococcus epidermidis
- less virulent staphylococal species
- important cause of prosthetic implant infections
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
- causes urinary tract infections, especially in women
Staphylococci is a part of the human…..
flora
Staphylococci:
- stain darkly gram positive
- round rather than oval
- occur in bunches like grapes
- cultured on broth and/ or blood
- anaerobic
What does the staphylococci produce?
catalase, which is one feature that distinguish them from catalase-negative streptococci
What is the most virulent species of staphylococcus?
staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus
almost all isolates of which secretes coagulase, an enzyme that causes citrated plasma to clot
Coagulase-negative staphylococci:
referred to species that occationally cause disease and lack coagulase
Folliculitis:
obstructed hair follicle
Staphylococcus aureus may be:
- largely or wholly the result of an actual invasive infection, overcomming host defense mechanisms, and the production of extracellular substances which facilitate invasion
- a result of toxins in the absence of invasive infection (“pure” toxinoses)
- a combination of invasive infection an intoxication
Virulence factors are……..
the genetic, biochemical, or structural features that enable an organism to produce disease
What does the clinical outcome of an infection depend on?
the virulence of the pathogen and the opposing effectiveness of the host defense mechanisms
Does staphylococcus aureus express many or few potential virulence factors?
many
PMNs =
polymorphonuclear neutrophils
What does coagulase activity result in?
coagulase activity results in localized clotting, which restricts access by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and other immune defenses. This would make coagulase a virulent factor, even tho mutants lacking the ability to make this factor remain virulent in animal models
What are the cell wall virluence factors?
- Capsule
- Protein A
- Fibronectin-binding protein
- Clumping factor
What does the capsule do?
it give an increased resistance to phagocytosis
Protein A:
- major component of staphylococcus aureus cell wall
- binds to the Fc region of IgG, exerting an anti-opsonin (and therefore strongly antiphagocytic) effect
Fibronectin-binding protein (FnBP):
- FnBP and other staphylococcal surface proteins promote binding to mucosal cells and tissue matrices
FnBP =
Fibronectin-binding protein
Clumping factor:
- FnBP enhances clumping of the organisms in the presence of plasma
Cytolytic exotoxins:
α, β, γ, and δ toxins attack mammalian cell membranes, and are often referred to as hemolysins