Keypoints - Bacteria Flashcards
Staphylococcus
Gram-positive cocci in clusters resembling bunches of grapes
Grow on non-enriched media
Moderately-sized white or golden colonies
Colonies of S. aureus and S. intermedius produce double haemolysis
Facultative anaerobes, non-motile, catalase-positive
Commensals on mucous membranes and skin
Coagulase production correlates with pathogenicity
Comparatively stable in the environment
Cause pyogenic infections
Rhodococcus equi
Gram-positive rods or cocci Growth on non-enriched media Salmon-pink mucoid colonies with no haemolysis Aerobic, non-motile CAMP test-positive Soil saprophyte Respiratory pathogen of foals
Actinomycetes
Gram-positive bacteria, many species with branching filaments Relatively slow growth on laboratory media Opportunistic pathogens producing diverse inflammatory responses Actinomyces, Arcanobacterium and Actinobaculum species -anaerobic or facultatively anaerobic -morphologically heterogeneous -non-spore-forming, non-motile -MZN-negative --colonize mucous membranes Nocardia species -aerobic, non-motile -spores from aerial filaments -growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar -MZN-positive -soil saprophytes Dermatophilus congolensis -aerobic and capnophilic -motile zoospores -no growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar II -found in scabs and in foci on skin of carrier animals
Listeria Species
Small, Gram-positive rods
Grow on non-enriched media
Tolerates wide temperature and pH ranges
w Small haemoly tic coionies on blood agar
Facultative anaerobes, catalase-positive,
oxidase-negative
Tumbling motility at 25°C
Aesculin hydrolysed
= Environmental saprophytes
Outbreaks of listeriosis often rclatcd to silage feeding
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Gram-positive, small rods (smooth form) or
filaments (rough form)
Growth on non-enriched media
Small colonies, with incomplete haemolysis in
48 hours
Growth over wide temperature and pH ranges
Catalase-negative
Coagulase-positive
Non-motile, oxidase-negative, facultative anaerobe
H,S formed along stab line in TSI agar
Found in porcine tonsils
Causes swine erysipelas and turkey erysipelas
Bacillus species Keypoints
Large, Gram-positive rods
Endospores produced
Aerobes or facultative anaerobes
Growth on non-enriched media
Most species motile, catalasc-positive and
oxidase-negative
Majority are non-pathogenic environmental
organisms
Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax
= Bacillus licheniformis is implicated in sporadic abortions in cattle and sheep
Clostridium Species
Large, Gram-positive rods
Endospores produced
Anaerobic, catalase- and oxidase-negative
Motile (except C, perfringens)
Enriched media required for growth
Colonies of C. perfringens surrounded by zones of double haemolysis
Present in soil, in alimentary tracts of animals
and in faeces
Pathogens can be grouped according to the mode and sites of action of their potent exotoxins:
-neurotoxic clostridia
-histotoxic clostridia
enteropathogenic and enterotoxaemia producing clostridia
Produce diverse forms of disease in many animal species
Mycobacterium species Key Points
Acid-fast (ZN-positive) rods
Cell walls rich in complex lipids and waxes
containing mycolic acids
Complex egg-enriched media required for growth of pathogenic species ,
Aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming
Genus includes obligatc pathogens, opportunistic
pathogens and saprophytes
Pathogenic species grow slowly, colonies visible after several weeks
. Some mycobacteria produce caroterloid pignrents Resistant to chemical disinfectants and environmental influences but susceptible to heat treatment (pasteurization)
Multiply intracellulary and cause chronic,
granulomatous infections
Major discases include tuberculosis, Johne’s disease and feline Leprosy
Enterobacteriaceae
Gram-negative rods Growth on non-enriched media Oxidase-negative Facultative anaerobes, catalase-positive Most are motile by peritrichous flagella Ferment glucose, reduce nitrate to nitrite Enteric bacteria which tolerate bile salts in MacConkey agar Cause a variety of clinical infections = Major enteric and systemic pathogens: -Escherichia coli Salmonella serotypes -Yersinia species Opportunistic pathogens: -Proteus species -Enterobacter species -Klebsiella specie
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia Species
Medium-sized, Gram-negative rods
Obligate aerobes
Most isolates are oxidase-positive and catalasepositive
Pseudumonas species and Burkholderia
pseudomuilei are motile by polar ilagella
Burklholderia mallei is non-motile and requires 1
glycerol in media for optimal growth
Diffusable pigments are produced by P aeroginosa
Burkholderia mallei causes glanders
Burholderio pseudomallei causes mcl ioidosis i!i Prrudumorius aeruginosa causcs opportunistic infections
Actinobacillus species
Medium-sizcd, non-motile, Gram-negative rods
Facultative anaerobes
= Most species are oxidase-positive and produce
ureas
Species of veterinary importance
grow on MacConkey agar, apart from
Actinoblacillus pleuropneumoniae
Commensals on mucous membranes
Produce a wide range of disease conditioris in
domestic animals
Pasteurella and Mannheimia Species
Small Gram-negative rods
Optimal growth on enriched media
Non-motile, oxidase-positive, facultative
anaerobes
Most species are catalase-positive
Some species grow on MacConkey agar
Bipolar staining is prominent in smears from lesions, using the Giemsa Method
Commensals in the upper respiratory tract
Respiratory Pathogens
Francisella tularensis
Gram-negative coccobacillary rods Non-motile, obligate aerobes Fastidious, cysteine required for growth No growth on MacConkey agar Oxidase-negative, catalase-positive m Facultative intracellular pathogen Survives in the environment for up to 4 months Wildlife reservoirs and arthropods important in epidemiology causes tulaeremia in animals and humans
Haemophilus Species
Small, motile Gram-negative rods Fastidious, requirement for the X and V factors in chocolate agar Optimal growth in 510% CO, Facultative anaerobes
Commensals on mucous membranes of many animal species Important pathogens include 'Haemophilus somnus' (cattle) H. parasuis (pigs) and H. paragallinarum (poultry)
Taylorella equigenitalis
Short, non-motile Gram-negative rods
Fastidious, optimal growth on chocolate agar
Microaerophilic, 510% CO2 required Positive oxidase, catalase and phosphatase tests
but otherwise unreactive
Causes contagious equine metritis