Denise - Streptococcus Flashcards
How is streptococcus classified
(5)
Based on the haemolytic propertied of the organism e.g. Alpha haemolytic strep
Based on the presence of surface antigens determined by immunological assays
Based on biochemical reactions
Based on protein analysis
Based on genetic analysis
Classify step based on haemolysis
Alpha haemolytic strep
Beta haemolytic strep
Gamma/no haemolytic strep
How do we classify strep based on their serological groups, how is this done
Based on the Lancefield groups of streps
How do we group streps based on Lancefield groups?
(6)
C-substance polysaccharide in their cell walls
Antigenic differences
Easily extractable
Classified primarily Beta Haemolytic strep
GAS (Group A strep) and GBS (Group B strep) are the most clinically significant
S. pneumoniae and S. viridans (the alpha haemolytic streps) have no group specific antigen i.e. cannot be grouped based on lancefield groups
Which streps cannot be identified using lancefield groupings and why
S. pneumoniae and S. viridans (the alpha haemolytic streps) have no group specific antigen i.e. cannot be grouped based on lancefield groups
Write about S. pneumoniae
One of the 12 priority pathogens according to WHO
High burden of disease and rising rates of penicillin resistance
What type of resistance is seen in S. pneumoniae
Penicillin resistance
Why is S. pneumoniae listed as one of the 12 priority pathogens
High carriage rates
Genetic adaptability
Ability to shift from commensal to pathogenic interaction in its host
Write about the pathogenesis of S. Pneumonia
(3)
Colonisation is the prerequisite for both transmission to other individuals and invasive disease in the carrier
Carriers can shed S. pneumoniae in nasal secretions and thereby transmit the bacterium
Dissemination beyond its niche along the nasal epithelium, either by aspiration, bacteraemia or local spread
How does S. pneumonia spread from a carrier to another individual
Nasal secretions
How does S. pneumonia spread from the nasal epithelium to cause infection
Aspiration (bacteria into respiratory system)
Bacteraemia (bacteria in circulation)
Local spread (spread into tissues)
What infection is caused if there is aspiration of S. pneumonia
This will cause pneumonia in the lung
What infection is caused if there if S. pneumonia colonisation leads to bacteraemia
This will cause meningitis
This can occur directly from colonisation or can lead on from pneumonia
What does local spread of S. pneumonia from nasal epithelium lead to
Otitis media
What factors affect S. pneumonia shedding from nasal epithelium of carriers
(5)
Pneumolysin increases shedding
Capsule type and amount increases shedding
Viral co-infection increases shedding
Anticapsule IgG decreases shedding
Anticapsule IgA1 has no effect
How does pneumolysin increase shedding of S. pneumoniae?
(3)
Inflammation promotes secretion production by nasal epithelium
Bacteria present in mucus lining epithelium
Runny nose -> sneezing -> facilitates spread
How does capsule type and amount increase shedding?
(2)
Capsulated strains of S. pneumonia inhibit entrapment by mucin
S. pneumonia can escape the mucous produced by the S. pneumoniae
How can anticapsule IgG decrease Shedding?
IgG binds to bacteria
Agglutination blocks release
Bacteria can’t escape in mucous
Why does anticapsule IgA1 have no effect on S. pneumoniae
Bacterial protease relieves agglutination
Why does viral co-infection increase shedding of S. pneumoniae
Increases bacterial load and increases mucous production
Nasal epithelium infected with virus -> increases production of mucous
More bacteria present in mucous
Spread by runny nose etc
What are the two types of infections caused by S. pnuemonia
Non invasive
Invasive soft tissue infections
List the most common S. pneumonia non invasive infections
Acute bacterial pneumoniae
Otitis media
Write about acute bacterial pneumoniae caused by S. pneumoniae
(5)
Lower respiratory tract infection
Preceeded by viral infection
Community acquired infection Pneumonia CAP
Older adults
Seasonality - increased in winter months
Write about otitis media caused by S. pneumonia
Most common cause of middle ear infection in children
What indicates an S. pneumonia invasive infection
Isolation of S. pneumoniae from a normally sterile site e.g. blood or CSF
What are the main invasive infections caused by S. pneumoniae
Blood stream infection (SEPSIS)
Meningitis
What percentage of S. pneumoniae pneumonia infections will lead to BSIs i.e. SEPSIS
15-30% of people with pneumoniae will lead to invasive disease
Write about S. pneumonia caused meningitis
(2)
Majority of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) infections are caused by a subset of predominant streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes
Approximately 8-10 of 90 different serotypes cause meningitis
Write about S. pneumoniae epidemiology
Young children
Older adults
Immunocompromised
Mortality rate is now much greater in adults >65 years of age than in children <2
Comment on the recent trends in invasive S. pneumonia
IPD is a notifiable disease in Ireland
Ever increasing number
What does IPD include
Meningitis
BSI
Sterile site infection
Comment on incidence rate of IPD versus age of patients
(3)
Less common in children under 2
Increasingly common in those over 65
Very low amounts in teenagers (near zero infections)
What are the virulence factors of S. pneumoniae?
(5)
Surface structure (capsule)
Pili
Choline Binding protein A
Autolysins LytA
Pneumolysin
How does a capsule affect virulence of S. pneumoniae?
(6)
Capsule is antiphagocytic
Capsule is antigenic
Polysaccharide
Essential for colonisation -> non capsulated strains are usually avirulent
Target for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines
>90 strains recognised based on capsular carbohydrates
How do pili affect virulence of S. pneumoniae
Not all pneumococci express pili
Attachment to the epithelial cells in the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract
How does choline binding protein A affect?
(6)
Polypeptides
Number varies from 13 to 16
Anchors the protein to the choline residues present in the cell wall
Responsible for remodelling the cell wall
Responsible for adhesion
Promotes invasion
What are the two main enzymes responsible for virulence of S. pneumonia
Autolysins LytA
Pneumolysin
What does autolysins LytA do in S. pneumoniae
Cell wall degrading protease
Responsible for the release of virulence factors
What does pneumolysin do?
(6)
Cytolytic protein
Released by autolysin
Attacks cell membranes
Proinflammatory
Inhibits PMN
Activates complement
Describe the process behind autolysins LytA and pneumolysin in S. pneumoniae.
(5)
S. pneumoniae infection
Autolysin is responsible for lysis of S. pneumoniae
Lysis releases the virulence factors out of S. pneumoniae
Pneumolysin released
Pneumolysin damages mammalian cell membranes
What is done with S. pneumoniae on day 1 of laboratory investigation?
(2)
Direct gram stain
Inoculation on blood agar
What specimens are seen in S. pneumoniae infections
(6)
Sputum
Pleural fluid or lung aspirate
Pus
Aspirates
CSF
Blood
What investigation is done on CSF and blood for S. pneumoniae
Direct Molecular detection
Film array ME
What investigation is done on CSF?
(4)
White cells increased
Bacteria
Glucose decreased
protein increased
What investigation is carried out on day 1 for S. pneumoniae?
(2)
Direct microscopy gram stain
Only done on blood cultures which have flagged positive
How does S. pneumoniae appear on gram stain
Gram positive diplococci lancet shaped
Write about the growth requirements for S. pneumonia
(6)
Fastidious
Blood agar
37 degrees celsius
5% CO2
O2
Anaerobically
Write about the colonial morphology of S. pneumoniae
Alpha haemolysis
Draughtsman colonies or mucoid colonies
What are the basic characteristic results of S. pneumonia
Gram positive diplococci
KOH negative
Catalase negative
Oxidase negative
Lanceolate shaped
What confirmatory identification tests are done for S. pneumonia on day 2
(3)
Optochin susceptibility
Bile susceptible
Vitek or Maldi TOF identification
Why might the Vitek be used instead of Maldi for S. pneumoniae ID
Maldi lack of discrimination between s. pneumoniae and other closely related alpha-haemolytic streptococci
How is S. pneumonia treated
B lactams -> penicillin (if not resistant)
Macrolide -> Erythromycin
Cephalosporin -> Cefotaxime
Write about S. pneumoniae resistance
(3)
PNSP -> penicillin non-susceptible pneumococci increased gradually with age
11% isolate in younger patients but 29% in older patients over 75
Reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime and erythromycin is also observed in older patients
What is done with S. pneumonia which is confirmed
(3)
CSF sent to IMSRL (Irish Meningitis and sepsis Reference Laboratory) on Temple street
Real time PCR directly on specimen
Serogroup Capsule-PCR
What Pneumococcal vaccines are there currently
(3)
PCV7 - infants
PCV13 - infants
PPV23 - for adults over 65 and immunocompromised
What is the PPV23 vaccine
(5)
Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
Purified capsular polysaccharide from 23 capsular types of S. pneumoniae
Accounts for up to 90% of IPD
Only for those >2 years old
Uptake is poor - only 30%
Why is the PPV23 vaccine only suitable for those over 2?
An adequate antibody response does not develop in those under 2 years of age
What are the PCV vaccines
(6)
Pneumococcal Conjugated Vaccines
PCV7 and PCV13
Conjugated to a protein for enhanced immunogenicity
Immunogenic from 6 weeks of age
Active against 75-90% of IPD serotypes
Uptake great with >90%
Comment on the outcome of S. pneumoniae vaccination
(4)
Clear evidence that the vaccines have reduced the burden of IPD in children
However, number of non vaccine type infections has increased
Evidence of herd protection seen
Vaccine uptake for PPV23 needs to be improved