Gram negative aerobic/microaerophilic rods and cocci

Question 1

Genus Legionella

Answer 1

L. pneumophila, discovered when it sickened 182, killed 26 in a mysterious pneumonia outbreak at a 1976 American Legionnaire’s convention in Philadelphia. Now known to be common in streams as well as in the water lines of air-conditioning systems. Responsible for a significant number of pneumoina cases in nursing homes.

Question 2

Genus Neisseria

Answer 2

N. gonorrheae, causes of gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease; often results in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can scar Fallopian tubes and cause sterility; neonatal infections from mother at birth are possible

Question 3

Genus Pseudomonas

Answer 3

Various ‘pseudomonads’ very common in water and soil, resistant to many antibiotics and disinfectants (sometimes grows in quaternary-ammonium compound disinfectants!), urinary tract infections (UTIs), wound infections, very dangerous for burn patients. ( no flowers in the burn ward) serious pneumonia in people with cystic fibrosis( slime producing pseudomonads grow in the thick sticky mucus their lungs), often produces green or blue pigments (green or blue pus) and smells like concord grapes.

Question 4

Subgroup 2: Family Vibrionaceae

Answer 4

found in aquatic habitats, particularly coastal marine environments. Transmitted by contaminated drinking water and eating contaminated, undercooked fish and shellfish

Question 5

Genus Vibrio

Answer 5

V. cholerae, causes of cholera, produces a powerful enterotoxin that inhibits water reabsorption by the large intestine, prodigious quantities of watery diarrhea, death by dehydration in hours, easily treated but occurs in undeveloped areas

Question 6

Subgroup 3 family Pasteurellaceae

Genus Haemphilus

Answer 6

H. influenzae, so called as it only grows on blood-based media in the lab, and was discovered and mis-identified as the cause of the 1890 influenza pandemic. Found in the nasopharynx of about 75% of people; virulent strains causes meningitis, earache, epliglottitis and pneumonia. Immunization against this bacterium has been part of the normal childhood series (Hib vaccine) since 1985.