Immunology Flashcards
How does Staphylococcus appear?
Gram +ve cocci in clusters
How does Staph grow?
Aerobic and facultatively anaerobic
What are the 2 important kinds of staph?
1) Coagulase +ve [only staph aureus]
2) Coagulase -ve [staph. epidermis, staph. saprophyticus etc
What colour is Staph Aureus when grown on agar?
Golden
What colour is staph coagulase -ve when grown of agar?
White
Staph aureus produced coagulase, what does this do to the body?
Clots plasma
What toxins can staph aureus produce?
Enterotxoin
Staph scolded skin syndrome toxin (SSST)
Panton Valentine Leukocidin (PVL)
What infection does staph -ve coagulase usually cause?
Infections associated with artificial material in the body e.g. artificial joint, artificial heart valves, intravenous catheters
What makes it hard for antibiotics to get rid of staph -ve coagulase bacteria?
The bacteria produced a biofilm (a slime)
What does Staph. Saprophyticus commonly cause?
UTI in females of child bearing age
How does Streptococcus appear?
Grame +ve cocci in chains
In what environment does strep grow?
Aerobically and facultatively anaerobically
How are different kinds of strep classified?
Haemolysis of blood agar
What is alpha haemolysis?
Partial haemoysis
What is beta haemolysis?
Complete haemolysis
What is gammae haemolysis?
No haemolysis
What are the two groups of beta haemolytic strep?
Group A (sore throats, severe skin infections -strep pyogens) Group B (neonate meningitis)
What are the two important categories of alpha haemolytic strep?
Strep pneumoniae (commonest cause of pneumonia) Strep Viridans (commensals of mouth, throat, vagina, rarely causes infection)
What are the bacteria associated with gamma haemolytic strep?
Enterococcus species (E. faecalis, E. Faecium) Commensels of bowel and cause UTIs
What are the competitive bacterial flora of the skin?
Staph Epidermidis
Corynebacterium Sp.
Proprionbacterium Sp.
What skin infections does Staph Aureus cause?
Cellulitis Infected eczema Impetigo Wound infection Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
What infections does Strep Pyogens cause?
Infected eczema Impetigo Cellulitis Erysipelas Necrotisisng Faciitis
What is Erysipelas?
Infection of the upper dermis and superficial lymphatics
What antibiotics used to treat staph aureus?
Flucloxacillin