Gram Positive

Bacillus
Medically Important GPR
 Bacillus
 Clostridium
 Listeria
 Erysipelothrix
 Lactobacillus
 Actinobacteria
 Streptomyces
 Proprionibacterineae
 Corynebacterium
 Nocardia
 Mycobacterium
Bacillus species
 Key characteristics
 Large, ground glass
colonies
 Beta hemolysis
 Catalase positive
 Large gram positive
to variable rods
Bacillus anthracis
 Characterisitics
 GPR
 FA
 Capsule
 Spore: central endospore
 Nonmotile, non - hemolytic
 Very long chains
 “Medusa head” colonies
 Reservoir, zoonotic
 Hoof stock (sheep, cattle, goats)
 Fur, hides (textile workers)
 Soil contaminated with spores
 Virulence
 Capsule
 Spore
 Exotoxin (anthrax toxin)
 Necrosis
 Edema
 Protective Ag
Pathogenicity
B. anthracis diseases
 Exposure
 Inhalation
 Inoculation
 Ingestion meat
 Dx
 Gastrointestinal
 Hemmorhage/death

 Cutaneous
 Eschar/toxemia

 Inhalation
 Toxemia/death
B. anthracis

Cutaneous Anthrax: Eschar

B. anthracis

 Dx
 Culture/Isolation
 Prevention
 Vaccination (toxoid)
 Proper disposal
 Chemical disinfection

 Burn carcasses
B. cereus
 Characteristics
 Aerobic
 Non-encapsulated
 Motile
 spore
 Virulence
 Spores
 Enterotoxins
 Hemolysins
 Lecithinase (pLC)
 Dz
 Food poisoning
 Catheter sepsis
 Ocular infections
B. subtilis
 Location
 Soil
 Decaying organic matter
 Nonpathogenic
 Research organism
 Endospores
 antibiotics
 Commercial use
 Enzyme production
 Insect toxin
 Fungicide
 Food spoilage
Clostridium
 Examples
 C. tetani
 C. perfringes
 C. botulinum
 Characteristics
 GPR
 Obligate anaerobes
 Motile
 Spore former (terminal)
 Exotoxins
C. perfringens
 Membrane disrupting toxin
(phospholipids)
 Alpha toxin (lecithinase)
 Rupture RBCs
 Destroy Tissue
 Enzymes
 Collagenase
 Hyaluronidase
 DNase
 CH2O fermentation Gas
 Exposure
 Puncture wounds, fractures
 Surgical
 Contaminated food
 Diseases
 Food poisoning
 Improper cooking
 V/D
 Gas gangrene
 Anaerobic cellulitis
 myonecrosis
Gas Gangrene

Treatment
Debride
AB
Hyperbaric O2
 C. tetani
 Epidemiology: saphrophyte
 Soil
 Dust
 GI tract
 Wounds (deep)
 Burns
 Umbilical stump
 Animal bites
 A-B neurotoxin (exotoxin)
 Tetanospasm
 Blocks release of inhibitory NT
 Glycine
 Relaxes opposing muscle
 Without: both muscle groups
contract
 Tonic Spasms
 Localized (Lockjaw)
 Cephalic
 Generalized
 Death  respiratory failure
C. tetani
 Dx
 Spores in wound
 Blood toxin levels
 Toxin neutralization test
 Treatment
 Antitoxin (HTIg)
 AB
 Debride
 Curare poison
 paralysis
 ventilator
 Prevention
 Vaccination
 Toxoid (DPT)
 Antitoxin
Tetanus neonatorum
 C. tetani
 Umbilical cord infected
 soil, dirt rubbed on stump
 Dirty instruments
 C. botulinum
 Location
 Soil
 Water
 Improper canning
 GI tracts of animals
 Epidemiology
 Intoxication
 Food borne
 Toxin (canned food)
 Infant
 Ingestion of endospores
 Source: honey
 Wound
 endospores
 C. botulinum
 Pathogenicity
 A-B neurotoxin
 botulinum toxin
 7 toxins A-G
 Type A
 Proteolytic
 Heat resistant
 Type B: both
 Type E
 Nonproteolytic
 Heat labile
 Bind to neuron
 prevent ACH from binding
at NMJ
 Flaccid paralysis
 Descending
 Death in 3-7 days
C. botulinum
 Dx
 Culture/Isolation
 Symptoms
 Tx
 Antitoxin
 AB: penicillin
 Ventilator
 Prevention
 Proper food handling
 Boiling 10 minutes
Clostridium difficile
 GI source
 Epidemiology
 Long term care facilities
 Chronic AB use
 Fecal-oral route
 Pathogenicity
 Toxins
 Spores
 Diseases
 Colitis pseudomembrane
 Cecal perforation = fatal
Colitis
Actinobacteria
 Suborder Actinomycinae
 Suborder Propionibacterineae
 Suborder Streptomycineae
 Suborder Corynebacterineae
 Family Corynebacteriaceae
 Family Mycobacteriaceae
 Family Norcariaceae
Actinomycosis
 Actinomycetes
 Characteristics
 Anaerobic
 Diseases
 Abscesses
 Sulfur granules
 Body cavities
 Jaw

 Thoracic

 Abd/pelvic
Proprionibacterineae
 GPR
 Non motile, NSF
 FA to aerotolerant
 Catalase (+)
 Location
 Skin
 GI
 Dairy (cheese)
 Types
 P. acnes
 Body odor
 Acne
 Oil glands
 Acne vulgaris
Streptomycineae
 Streptomyces
 Aerial hyphae, conidia
 Obligate aerobes
 Location:soil
 Problems
 S.C infection
 Abscess
 Bone destruction
 Use
 AB synthesis
Mycobacteriaceae
 Examples
 M. tuberculosis
 M. leprae
 Characteristics
 AF (mycolic acid)
 Aerobic
 Nonmotile, NSF
 Reservoir = humans
 Transmission
 Respiratory droplets
 M. tuberculosis
 Slow growing
 TB
 Pulmonary
 Nodular scars
 Calcification
 T cells and macrophages 
CT
 Tubercle
 Caseous necrosis
 Disseminated (consumption)
 Brain
 Bone
 Kidneys
 GI
 LN
 Skin
 Disease stages
 Primary
 Latent
 Recrudescent
M. tuberculosis
 Virulence factors
 Mycolic acid
 Decrease phagocytosis
 Catalase
 Mycobactin
 Chelates iron
 Dx
 Culture/isolation of sputum
 Radiography of chest
 TB skin test (PPD)
 Tx
 multi-drug
 Resistance
 Research: rDNA vaccine
 M. Leprae (Hansen’s bacillus)
 Slow growing
 Epidemiology
 Tropical environments (TX)
 Not readily communicated
 Types
 Tuberculoid
 Rash with plaques
 Nerve damage
 Lepramatous (Leproid)
 Erythemia nodosum
 Neuritis
 Ulceration/bacteremia
 Skin appendage loss Treatment: AB
 Corynebacterium
 C. diptheriae
 Characteristics
 Club shaped
 Weakly AF
 Metachromic granules
 Epidemiology
 Source: carriers
 Cutaneous
 Fomites
 Respiratory infection
 Aerosol
 Pharynx, LN, tonsils
 Pseudomembrane
 Pathogenicity
 Diptheria toxin
 A-B exotoxin
 A: Inactivates proteins
 B: attacks heart, NS
 Neuraminidase coryne = club shaped
 Protease (Dipthin)
C. diptheria disease
 Pseudomembrane
 Pharynx and tonsils
 MM
 Nasal
 Larynx
 External ear (OM)
 Conjunctiva
 Vulvo-vaginal
 Complications (toxins)
 Edema
 Myocarditis
 Neuritis
 Cutaneous rash
C. diphtheria
 Dx
 Pseudomembrane
 Metachromic granules
 Tx
 Antitoxin

 AB

 Prevention
 Vaccination (DPT)
Nocardia
 N. asteroids
 Characteristics
 Saprophyte (soil)
 Filamentous, branch
 Weakly AF
 Transmission
 immunosuppressed
 Dz
 Resp: resemble TB
 Skin: abscesses
 Tx: AB
Lactobacillales (Lactobacillus)
 Characteristics
 Coccobacillus
 FA – microaerophilic
 Lactic acid fermentation
 Epidemiology
 Food: meat, dairy, fruit
 Environment: water
 Uses
 Food production
 Fermented vegetables
 Beverages: beer, wine, juices
 Milk products: yogurt, cheese
 Problems
 Food spoilage
 Listeria
 L. monocytogenes
 Characteristics
 Soil, mammal gut
 Non caspule, NSF
 Motile [petrichous flagella]
 FA
 Catalase (+)
 Resist: Cold, pH, temp, salt, bile
 Transmission
 Direct: neonate, uterus
 Vertical
 Dz
 Food poisoning (dairy)
 Skin-> bacteremia-> endocarditis-
>NS
 Tx: AB
 Prevention
 Cook foods
 Pasteurize dairy products
Food Safety
Erysipelothrix
 E. rhusiopathiae
 Characteristics
 Saphrophyte
 Nonmotile, NSF
 microaerophilic
 Epidemiology
 Water, sewage
 Animals
 Pathogenicity: capsule
 Transmission: Fecal
 Disease
 Macropapular rash
 Endocarditis
 Septicemia
 Tx
 AB
 Animal vaccination (pigs)
Mycoplasmas
 Characteristics
 Lack cell walls
 Pleomorphic (fried egg)
 NM
 FA-Obligate anaerobes
 Examples
 M. genitalium
 M. pneumoniae
 M. hominis
 Diseases
 Pneumonia
 Uritogenital infections
Wash your hands!