Microbiology Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
Organism that causes disease
What is a commensal?
Organism that colonises host but causes no disease normally
What is an opportunist pathogen?
Microbe that only causes disease if host defence is compromised
What is virulence/pathogenicity?
The degree to which an organism is pathogenic
What is the first stage of gram staining?
Fixation of clinical materials to microscope slide (heat/methanol)
What happens in gram staining after fixation?
Application of primary stain: crystal violet (all cells turn purple)
What happens after the primary stain in gram staining?
Application of mordant (iodine): crystal violet-iodine complex formed
What happens after application of mordant in gram staining?
Decolourisation step: distinguishes gram +ve and gram -ve, use acetone or ethanol
What happens after decolourisation in gram staining?
Application of counterstain: safranin to stain gram -ve pink
What do gram positive bacteria look like after gram staining?
Stains purple
What do gram negative bacteria look like after gram staining?
Stains pink
How can you remember the gram staining method?
“Come In and Stain” Crystal violet Iodine Alcohol Safranin
What is the difference between gram positive and gram negative bacteria?
Gram positive: thick layer of peptidoglycan (cell wall)
Gram negative: thin layer of peptidoglycan (high lipid content)
What are the 2 different types of gram positive cocci?
Staphylococcus and streptococcus
What are the characteristics or staphylococcus?
Clusters/catalase +ve
What are the characteristics of streptococcus?
Chains/catalase -ve
Give some examples of gram positive rods.
Corneybacteria, Mycobacteria, Listeria, Bacillus, Nocardi
What test can be done to determine the type of staphylococcus?
Coagulase test
What bacteria is it if it tests positive after a coagulase test?
S.aureus or MRSA
What bacteria is it if it tests negative after a coagulase test?
Coagulase negative staph (S.epidermidis/S.saphrophiticus)
What is coagulase?
Enzyme produced by S.aureus that converts soluble fibrinogen in plasma to insoluble fibrin
What test can be done to determine the type of streptococcus?
Haemolysis on blood agar
What does alpha haemolysis indicate?
Alpha haemolytic strep
What does beta haemolysis indicate?
Lancefield A, B, C + G - S.pyogenes
What does gamma haemolysis indicate?
Lancefield D (S.bovis/enterococcus)
What does alpha haemolysis look like?
Partial lysis (greening)
What does beta haemolysis look like?
Complete lysis (clear)
What does gamma haemolysis look like?
No lysis
What is the haemolysis test?
Uses hydrogen peroxide to test reaction with haemoglobin
Give some examples of alpha haemolytic chains.
S.pneumoniae
Viridans group streptococci
Give some examples of beta haemolytic chains.
Group A strep (S.pyogenes)
Group B strep (S.agalactiae)
Group G strep (S.dysgalactiae)
Give examples of gamma (non) haemolytic chains.
Group D strep (S.bovis, enterococcus)
What infections are associated with S.aureus?
Impetigo, boils, cellulitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome (skin infections)
What infections are associated with S.epidermidis?
Surgical wound infections, septicaemia, endocarditis
What infections are associated with S.saphrophiticus?
Acute cystitis
What infections are associated with S.pneumoniae?
Pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitis, meningitis
What infections are associated with viridans group strep?
Oral strep, deep organ abscesses
What infections are associated with group A strep (S.pyogenes)
Cellulitis, tonsillitis, impetigo, scarlet fever, pharyngitis (throat + skin infections)
What infections are associated with group B strep (S.agalactiae)?
Postpartum infection, neonatal sepsis, neonatal meningitis
What infections are associated with group G strep (S.dysgalactiae)
Severe mastitis, rheumatic fever, throat infections
What infections are associated with S.bovis?
Endocarditis, UTIs, sepsis (colorectal)
What infections are associated with enterococcus?
Endocarditis, UTIs, intra-abdominal + pelvic infections
Where is S.aureus found?
Nasal passages + skin
Where is S.epidermidis found?
Skin
Where is S.saphrophiticus found?
Female genital tract + perineum
Where is S.pneumoniae found?
Nasopharynx (+ rest of upper resp tract)
Where is viridans group strep found?
Oral cavity mostly, also upper resp tract, female genital tract + GI tract
Where is S.pyogenes found?
Resp tract
Where is S.agalactiae found?
Lower GI tract + female genital tract
Where is S.dysgalactiae found?
GI tract + genital tract
Where is S.bovis found?
GI tract
Where is enterococcus found?
GI tract
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.aureus?
Flucloxacillin, Co-Amoxiclav, Macrolides (susceptible to most)
What antibiotics can be used to treat MRSA?
Gentamicin, Vancomycin
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.epidermidis?
Co-Amoxiclav
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.saphrophiticus?
Nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.pneumoniae?
Oral Amoxicillin, IV Benzylpenicillin
What antibiotics can be used to treat viridans group strep?
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.pyogenes?
Amoxicillin (any penicillins)
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.agalactiae?
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.dysgalactiae?
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics can be used to treat S.bovis?
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics can be used to treat enterococcus?
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics do beta haemolytic strep respond to?
Any penicillin (amox, co-amox, fluclox etc)
Who is most vulnerable to S.epidermidis?
Immunocompromised patients
What percentage of cystitis infections are caused by S.saphrophiticus?
5-8%, most commonly in young women
What is the most virulent viridans group strep?
S.milleri
What is the most commone cause of bacterial infections in newborn babies?
S.agalactiae
What is group A strep?
S.pyogenes
What is group B strep?
S.agalactiae
What is group G strep?
S.dysgalactiae
What is group D strep?
S.bovis, enterococcus
What test is used to determine the type of gram negative bacillus?
Appearance on MacConkey agar
What does a pink appearance on a MacConkey agar suggest?
Lactose fermenting: E.coli, klebsiella
What does a white appearance on a MacConkey agar suggest?
Non-lactose fermenting: shigella, salmonella, pseudomonas, proteus
How is the type of lactose fermenting bacteria determined?
Biochemical identification (API strip) + sensitivity tests
How is the type of non-lactose fermenting bacteria determined?
Oxidase test
What does a positive oxidase test indicate?
Pseudomonas
What does a negative oxidase test indicate?
Shigella, salmonella, proteus
What does a positive oxidase test look like?
Purple
What does a negative oxidase test look like?
Cream coloured