Sketchy Micro: Strep. Agalactiae (Group B Strep.)

Question 1

Group B Strep. causes severe infection in ___________.

Answer 1

infants

Question 2

S. agalactiae has a positive ___________ test.

Answer 2

hippurate (just like the child’s hippo stuffed animal)

Question 3

S. agalactiae has a ___________ capsule.

Answer 3

polysaccharide (just like the hippo’s clouded helmet)

Question 4

Only S. agalactiae has a positive _________ test.

Answer 4

CAMP (like the moon CAMP with tents)

Question 5

True or false: S. agalactiae is unique among the Streptococci because it is not beta-hemolytic.

Answer 5

False. It is beta-hemolytic (just like the beta-light bulbs above the tents on the galactic moon base).

Question 6

S. agalactiae is _____________ resistant.

Answer 6

bacitracin (just like how the basset hound cannot lick anything because he’s wearing a helmet)

Question 7

What three things does Streptococcus agalactiae most commonly cause?

Answer 7

Neonatal meningitis (the most common cause of neonatal meningitis)
Neonatal pneumonia
Neonatal sepsis

(The baby is (1) wearing the meningitis helmet, (2) coughing, and (3) colored red – red for sepsis.)

Question 8

What prophylactic measures are taken to prevent babies from getting infected with group B Strep.?

Answer 8

Most babies get it while passing through the mother’s vaginal canal, so pregnant women have vaginal and rectal swabs cultured for GBS. If they test positive, then intrapartum penicillin is given.

(Think of the baby emerging from the canal of the mothership with the number 35 written on it. Also, the legs of the ship are pencillin-pencils.)