Bacillus Flashcards
1
Q
Bacillus
A
gram positive, large rods, spore producing, aerobes/facultative anaerobes, catalase-positive. Anthrax in cattle, humans. B. licheniformis - sporadic abortion in cattle, sheep. Virulence: capsule, toxins (both encoded on plasmid, and regulated by host temp and [CO2]; toxins include protective antigen, edema factor, lethal factor which together lead to prevention of phagocytosis (capsule and edema factor toxin), inflammation, and edema (toxins). Septicemia, increased vascular permeability, hemorrhage, shock death. Dx: little rigor mortis, bloated carcasses, blue bacteria in capsules with square ends, “medusa head” appearance of colonies, biochemical tests. Vaccine available for endemic regions.
