Lecture 15 - Staph/Strep/Enterococci Flashcards
Gram-? Shape?
Positive. Cocci (spherical).
Which leukotoxins are used by Strep pyogenes?
SLO and SLS
Motility?
non-motile
Why are these superbugs call nocosomial?
Hospital acquired
How are superbugs formed?
- Arise from antibiotic misuse (i.e.
overuse, insufficient use, inappropriate
use, use in livestock) - Incomplete antibiotic treatment that fails
to kill all bacteria – survival of strains
that evolved to resist the antibiotic
Besides Lancefield, another way to classify Streptococci/Enterococci?
Based on lysis of red blood cells
RBCs) by membrane-disrupting “hemolysins” (alpha, beta or gamma-hemolytic
What do alpha, beta and gamma classifications stand for?
Alpha- partial lysis (S pneumo, Enterococcus)
Beta - complete lysis (GAS, GBS)
Gamma - no lysis (Enterococcus)
Which organisms do GAS infect?
Humans, most pathogenic
Where is GAS usually located in host?
Respiratory tract
What kinds of diseases does GAS cause?
- Localized diseases: strep throat (pharyngitis), tonsillitis, Scarlet fever, impetigo (skin inf’n), wound infections, postpartum infections, endocarditis
- Invasive disease: necrotizing fasciitis (“flesh-eating disease”), streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (sepsis), pneumonia
3.Post-streptococcal illnesses: rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, glomerulonephritis – autoimmune disease caused by GAS antigens
mimicking host antigens (eg. heart muscle)
What is Necrotizing fasciitis?
infection deep in subcutaneous tissues that spreads along fascial planes, destroying muscle and fat; initially cellulitis followed by bullae (fluid filled blisters), gangrene, systemic toxicity, multi-organ failure and mortality in more than 50% of patients
What is Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome? Which toxins/superantigens are involved?
Multi-system toxicity (sepsis) following soft tissue infection progressing to shock and organ failure – caused by toxins like streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE), streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin (SME), streptococcal superantigen (SSA)
What are the exotoxins secreted by GAS?
Leukotoxins, NADase, Hyaluronidase, superantigens, SIC
What are leukotoxins?
Membrane disrupting toxins - form pores in
host cell membranes, including leukocytes (neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes), epithelial cells, RBCs (“hemolysins” ® b-hemolysis); lead to host cell apoptosis, cause tissue damage – allow invasion of the bacteria into tissues – may be cholesteroldependent pore-forming proteins (like L. monocytogenes LLO) - streptolysin O (SLO), SLS
What are NADases?
Enters host cells via
pores formed by streptolysins -
cleaves host NAD+
What are Hyaluronidases?
Can degrade
host connective tissue ->
invasion. Also present in GAS acid capsule.