LAB S20 Flashcards
Specimens for streptococci culture
depends on the nature of streptococcal infection
- throat swab
- pus
- CSF
- blood
- other sterile body fluid
features of streptococcus and enterococcus under the microscope
- G+ cocci in chains
- spherical or oval-shaped (rod-like forms are occasionally seen)
- chains of diplococcal cells rather than individual cells
- broth cultures will show more chaining than those made from agar plates
features of streptococcus pneumoniae under the microscope
-G+ cocci in pairs
-Cells have slightly elongated “lanceolate” or lancet-shaped morphology
- “Halo” may be observed surrounding the organism pairs (indicates the presence of the polysaccharide capsule)
- Single cocci or chains are also seen in
direct smears.
culture media for streptococci
- 5% sheep blood agar medium (BAM)
- Columbia CNA Agar
- Phenylethyl Alcohol Agar (PEA)
Technique for inoculating throat swab for
S. pyogenes
stabbing the inoculating
loop into the agar after streaking the
blood agar plate
This inoculation technique forces some inoculum
under the agar, thereby creating a
relatively anaerobic environment
streak-stab technique
streak-stab technique allows subsurface colonies to display hemolysis caused by
O2-labile streptolysin O
Other methods of inoculating streptococci specimen
pour-plate
agar-overlay
streptococci culture growth is enhanced in
5-10% CO2
streptococci culture grow mostly on agar media at _______ within _________ of incubation
35-37%; 48 hours
colonial characterization of the different groups of staphylococci
see lec module 4 unit 2 page 14
In examining β-Hemolytic streptococci on sheep blood agar, more intense β-hemolysis is noted in areas where the medium has been
stabbed
the hemolysis noted in stabbed part of the β-Hemolytic streptococci on sheep blood agar is due to
combined activities of streptolysin O and streptolysin S
the principal hemolysins of group A streptococci
streptolysin O and streptolysin S
streptolysin O is __________ hence, does not show maximal activity on the surface of the agar
oxygen-labile
the surface B-hemolysis of B-hemolytic streptococci is largely due to ______, which is ________
streptolysin S; oxygen-stable
partial hemolysis (a-hemolysis) of the erythrocytes results in a ________ of the agar medium surrounding the colonies
“greening”
streptococci that are a-hemolytic
- S, pneumoniae
- viridans group of streptococci
- occasionally Enterococcus species
what streptococci species typically exhibits y-hemolysis on sheep’s blood agar
enterococcus species
- cultivated on sheep blood
- 24 hrs in aerobic atmosphere
- 37 degrees celsius
are the colonies of enterococcus species all y-hemolytic?
No. some strains are α-hemolytic or even β-hemolytic
other y-hemolytic streptococci
- group D streptococci (S. bovis)
- sometimes viridans streptococci
two characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae on sheep blood agar
- α-hemolytic, dome-shaped, mucoid strain
- checker-piece and nail-head colony morphologies
two characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae on sheep blood agar
- α-hemolytic, dome-shaped, mucoid strain
- checker-piece and nail-head colony morphologies
two characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae on sheep blood agar
- α-hemolytic, dome-shaped, mucoid strain
- checker-piece and nail-head colony morphologies
what causes the dome shape of S. pneumoniae on sheep blood agar
production of large amounts of capsular polysaccharide
what causes the checker-piece and nail-head morphologies of S. pneumoniae on sheep blood agar
autolysis of the organism
These tests are done on catalase-negative, gram-positive cocci, placing them in the streptococcus group, then initially may be classified on the basis of their hemolytic properties on sheep blood agar.
identification tests
catalase test classifies G(+) cocci into
- catalase (+) staphylococci
- catalase (+) micrococci
- catalase (-) streptococci
- catalase (-) enterococci
- streptococcus-like bacteria