Chapter 18: Haemophilus and Other Fastidious Gram-Negative Bacilli Flashcards
Staining Characteristic of Haemophilus spp.
Gram Negative
Appearance of Haemophilus spp. (3)
- Pleomorphic
- Small coccobacili from direct smears of clinical samples
- Long filaments from colony growth
Motility of Haemophilus spp
Non-motile
Mode of Respiration and Sugar for Haemophilus spp.
Facultative Anaerobic, Carbohydrate Fermenter
Kind of Parasite on the mucous membranes of Humans and Animals
Obligate Parasites
Kind of Parasite on the mucous membranes of Humans and Animals
Obligate Parasites
8 Species of Haemophilus species associated with humans
Haemophilus influenzae - “Pfeiffer’s Bacillus” Haemophilus parainfluenzae Haemophilus haemolyticus Haemophilus parahaemolyticus Haemophilus paraphrohaemolyticus Haemophilus pittmaniae Haemophilus aegyptius - “Koch-Weeks Bacillus” Haemophilus ducreyi
Three Pathogenic Species of Haemophilus
Haemophilus influenzae - Meningitis, epiglottitis
Haemophilus aegyptius - Pink Eye Conjunctivitis
Haemophilus ducreyi - Chancroid / Soft Chancre
General Characteristics of Haemophilus spp.
- Indigenous microbiota of the healthy upper respiratory tract
- Non-encapsulated strains of Haemophilus influenzae in healthy children average 2% of the normal bacterial biota.
- Approximately 10% of normal bacterial biota in adults consists of Haemophilus spp.
- Haemophilus parainfluenzae
- Non-encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae
Haemophilus is derived from the Greek words ____
“aima” and “philia”
X Factor
hemin or hematin (“X for unknown”)
V factor
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide [NAD] = (“V for vitamin”)
Haemophilus spp. with the prefix para require only ______
V factor for growth.
Both X and V factors are found within red blood cells; however, only _____ is directly available.
X factor
Haemophilus spp. that are V factor dependent do not grow on SBA because the red blood cells are still intact, and the sheep red blood cells contain ______
Enzymes (NADases) that hydrolyze V factor
Clinical laboratories use _____ for the recovery of Haemophilus spp. from clinical specimens.
CHOC agar
The lysing of the red blood cells by heat in the preparation of CHOC agar releases both _______
the X factor and the V factor and inactivates NADases
- Phenomenon that helps in the recognition of Haemophilus spp. that require V factor is satellitism
- occurs when organisms, like Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Neisseria spp., produces V factor as a by-product of metabolism
Satellitism
Pfeiffer’s Bacillus
Haemophilus influenzae
Most significant of all virulence factors in H. influenzae
Capsule
Most significant of all virulence factors in H. influenzae
Capsule
Capsular polysaccharide serve as a basis for serologic grouping
What are the 6 serotypes?
A, B, C, D, E, and F
Serotype b capsule is a unique polymer composed of ______
ribose, ribitol, and phosphate (polyribitol phosphate)
___________ of the type b capsule are important factors in virulence
antiphagocytic property and anticomplementary activity
___________ of the type b capsule are important factors in virulence
antiphagocytic property and anticomplementary activity
Most invasive infections were caused by encapsulated strains of H. influenzae belonging to _______
Serotype b (Hib)
In unvaccinated children, type b is a leading cause of ______
Meningitis
Not all strains of H. influenzae are encapsulated, referred to as _________
Non-typable H. influenzae (NTHi)
Haemophilus influenzae is the only member of the genus that produces ________
This enzyme has the ability to cleave secretory IgA
Immunoglobulin A Proteases
Adherence mechanisms of H. influenzae
Studies indicate that most NTHi strains are adherent to human epithelial cells; most encapsulated serotype b strains are not adherent
Antibody directed against these antigens may play a significant role in human immunity
Have a paralyzing effect on the sweeping motion of ciliated respiratory epithelium
Outer Membrane Proteins & Lipopolysaccharides
Infections by encapsulated, serotype B strains (Hib) : systemic
Septicemia Meningitis Arthritis Epiglottitis Tracheitis Pneumonia
Infections by non-encapsulated, non-typable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) : localized
Conjunctivitis
Sinusitis
Otitis media with effusion / middle ear infections
- Widespread before the use of Hib vaccine
- were common among children between the ages of 3 months and 6 years
- Bloodstream invasion and bacteremic spread follow colonization of this organism in the respiratory mucous membranes
Meningitis
Symptoms of Meningitis
mild respiratory disease
headache
stiff neck
other meningeal signs
Occurs in children between 2 and 4 years old
Rapid onset, acute inflammation, and intense edema of the epiglottis
complete airway obstruction
Epiglottitis
- life-threatening disease in young children
- arise after an acute, viral respiratory infection; mild to moderate illness for approximately 2 to 7 days progresses rapidly
- thick secretions can occlude the trachea
Bacterial Tracheitis
Koch-Weeks Bacillus
Haemophilus aegyptius
Disease associated with Haemophilus aegyptius
“Pink Eye” = Acute Purulent Conjunctivitis
Historical Background of Haemophilus aegyptius
observed in conjunctivitis exudates from Egyptians by Koch in 1883
- Non-encapsulated
- caused a severe systemic disease known as Brazilian Purpuric Fever (BPF) in Brazil in 1984
- Disease associated :
- conjunctivitis, primarily in pediatric populations
- Brazilian Purpuric Fever
Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius
Characterized by:
- recurrent or concurrent conjunctivitis
- High fever
- Vomiting
- Petechial / purpural rash
- Septicemia, shock, and vascular collapse
- Mortality Rate : 70% within 48 hours after onset
Brazilian Purpuric Fever (BPF)
Strict human pathogen
Not part of the normal microbiota
* Extremely fastidious
* Disease associated : Chancroid / “Soft Chancre”
highly communicable sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease (GUD)
facilitates the transmission of other STDs
Incubation Period : 4 – 14 days
Haemophilus ducreyi
Clinical Manifestations of Chancroid / “Soft Chancre”:
- nonindurated, painful lesion with irregular edge
- generally on the genitalia or perianal areas
- Buboes = suppurative (pus-forming), enlarged, draining, inguinal lymph nodes
- Men have symptoms related to the inguinal tenderness and genital lesions
- Most women are asymptomatic
- found in the oral cavity
- very low incidence of pathogenicity
Disease associated : endocarditis - Primary Site of Infection : mitral valve
symptoms appear approximately 1 month after routine dental procedures
Haemophilus parainfluenzae
- indigenous microbiota of the URT of adults
* Disease associated : pharyngitis
Haemophilus parahaemolyticus
Specimen Processing & Isolation
sources of specimen :
- Blood
- CSF (for suspected meningitis)
- middle ear exudate (for suspected otitis media)
- joint fluids
- upper and lower respiratory tract specimens; bronchial washing (for culture)
- swabs from conjunctiva (for suspected conjunctivitis)
- vaginal swabs
- abscess drainage
_________, nasal and nasopharyngeal swab specimens have no clinical value in evaluation for respiratory tract infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae
Except in the case of patients with cystic fibrosis
Haemophilus spp. are ______ in nature
Fastidious
Most conventional media ___________ the growth of Haemophilus spp.
Do not support
Haemophilus spp. do not grow on
MAC agar
Haemophilus spp. die __________
rapidly in clinical specimens; prompt transportation and processing are vital for their isolation
- genital sites first should be cleaned with sterile gauze moistened with sterile saline
- a swab, premoistened with sterile phosphate-buffered saline, should be used to collect material __________
from the base of the ulcer
- genital sites first should be cleaned with sterile gauze moistened with sterile saline
- a swab, premoistened with sterile phosphate-buffered saline, should be used to collect material __________
from the base of the ulcer
as an alternative, pus can be aspirated from _______
buboes if they are present
___________ is preferred instead of using transport media / specimen processing in the laboratory should occur soon after collection for maximum recovery
direct plating on selective media at the bedside
Haemophilus ducreyi Preferred culture media:
Enriched CHOC medium, Nairobi biplate
Haemophilus ducreyi Optimum growth temperature
33°C
Haemophilus ducreyi Duration of incubation
7 days
Nairobi biplate medium components
GC agar base
2% bovine hemoglobin + 5% fetal calf serum + Mueller Hinton agar on one side
5% chocolatized horse blood on the other
3 mg/L of vancomycin on both sides
Colony Morpholoy for H. ducreyi on CHOC agar
Small Flat Smooth Nonmucoid transparent to opaque tan or yellow Individual colonies can be pushed intact using a loop across the agar plate surface
Haemophilus influenzae preferred culture media:
CHOC Agar, or Horse Blood Bacitracin Agar
H. influenzae Incubation Temperature
33° - 37°C
H. influenzae duration of incubation
18 - 24 hrs
H. influenzae incubation condition :
CAPNOPHILIC = 5% - 10% carbon dioxide
H. influenzae incubation condition :
CAPNOPHILIC = 5% - 10% carbon dioxide
CHOC agar supplemented with ______ is an excellent medium for the isolation of Haemophilus spp. from respiratory specimens
bacitracin (300 mg/L)
H. aegyptius Preferred Culture Media
enriched CHOC agar supplemented with 1% Iso-VitaleX
H. aegyptius Duration of Incubation
4 days
Colony Morphology of H. influenzae on CHOC agar
NOTE : the same colony morphology may be observed from Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius
Non-hemolytic Translucent Tannish Moist Smooth Convex “mousy” or bleach-like odor
For Haemophilus influenzae, encapsulated strains grow ____________
larger and more mucoid than the NTHi strains
Haemophilus parainfluenzae Colony Morphology
tannish and drier
medium to large size compared with H. influenzae
Haemophilus parahaemolyticus Colony Morphology
resembles H. parainfluenzae
on horse or rabbit blood agar, it is β-hemolytic
Microscopic Morphology of Haemophilus spp.
- small, gram-negative bacilli
- pleomorphic : coccobacilli to long filaments
- “halos” = capsules of Haemophilus influenzae may be observed in Gram-stained direct smears as clear, non-staining areas
- other stains that may be used :
Acridine orange
Methylene blue
Microscopic Morphology of H. ducreyi
“railroad tracks” / “school of fish” = Haemophilus ducreyi appearing as pale staining gram-negative coccobacilli arranged singly or in groups