Mnemonics

Question 1

Gram + bacterial wall

Answer 1

• +hick pepidoglycan layer.

* +eichoic acid in wall

Question 2

Endotoxin Features

Answer 2

(ENDOTOXIN)
• Endothelial cells/ Edema
• Negative (Gram- bacteria) 
• DIC/ Death 
• Outer membrane 
• TNF 
• O-antigen 
• X-tremely heat stable 
• IL-1 
• Nitric oxide/ Neutrophil chemotaxis

Question 3

Catalase + Organisms

Answer 3

SPACE
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Pseudomonas 
• Aspergillus 
• Candida 
• Enterobacter

Question 4

S. Aureus Diseases caused

Answer 4

SOFT PAINS: 
• Skin infections
• Osteomyelitis
• Food poisoning
• Toxic shock syndrome 
• Pneumonia 
• Acute endocarditis
• Infective arthritis
• Necrotizing fasciitis 
• Sepsis

Question 5

Food Poisoning bugs

Answer 5

“Eating Contaminated Stuff Causes Very Big Smelly Vomit”
• E. coli O157-H7 [undercooked meat, esp. hamburgers]
• Clostridium botulinum [canned foods]
• Salmonella [poultry, meat, eggs]
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus [seafood]
• Bacillus cereus [reheated rice]
• Staphylococcus aureus [meats, mayo, custard]
• Clostridium perfringens [reheated meat]
• Vibrio vulnificus [seafood]

Question 6

• Streptococci: classification by hemolytic ability

Answer 6

• Gamma: Garbage (no hemolytic activity).
• Alpha: Almost (almost lyse, but incomplete)
• Beta: Best (complete lysis)

Question 7

• Streptococcus pyogenes: diseases caused

Answer 7

NIPPLES 
• Necrotising fasciitis and myositis 
• Impetigo 
• Pharyngitis 
• Pneumonia 
• Lymphangitis 
• Erysipelas and cellulitis 
• Scarlet fever/ Streptococcal TSS

Question 8

• Streptococcus pyogenes: virulence factors

Answer 8

SMASHED 
• Streptolysins 
• M protein 
• Anti-C5a peptidase 
• Streptokinase 
• Hyaluronidase 
• Exotoxin 
• DNAses

Question 9

• IgA protease-producing bacteria

Answer 9

“Nice Strip of Ham”:
• Neisseria
• Streptococcus pneumonia
• Haemophilus influenza

Question 10

Capsulated microbes

Answer 10

"Some Nasty Killers Have Some Capsule Protection": 
• Streptococcus pneumoniae 
• Neisseria meningitidis
• Klebsiella pnemoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae 
• Salmonella typhi 
• Cryptococcus neoformans 
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Question 11

Hemophilus influenza causes

Answer 11

• haEMOPhilus causes Epiglottitis, Meningitis, Otitis media and Pneumonia

Question 12

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Answer 12

PSEUDOMONAS
• Pneumonia 
• Septicemia 
• Eye infection, endocarditis 
• UTI 
• Drug use, diabetes, (dermatological) = Ecthyma gangrenosum 
• Otitis media 
• Meningitis 
• Osteomyelitis 
• Nail bed infection 
• A= B= burns & bed sore 
• Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa)

Question 13

• Neisseria: fermentation of N. gonorrhoeae vs. N. meningitidis

Answer 13

• Gonorrhoeae: Glucose fermenter only
• MeninGitidis: Maltose and Glucose fermenter
• Maltose fermentation is a useful property to know, since it’s the classic test to distinguish the Neisseria types

Question 14

• Pyrogenic meningitis: likeliest bug in age group

Answer 14

"Explaining Hot Neck Stiffness" 
• In order from birth to death: 
o E. coli [infants] 
o Haemophilus influenzae [older infants, kids] 
o Neisseria meningitis [young adults] 
o Streptococcus pneumoniae [old folks]

Question 15

• E. coli: major subtypes, key points

Answer 15

"HIT by E. coli outbreak"
• EnteroHemorrhagic: 
o HUS from Hamburgers 
• EnteroInvasive: 
o Immune-mediated Inflammation 
• EnteroToxigenic: 
o Traveller's diarrhea

Question 16

• Klebsiella

Answer 16

3A’s
• Aspiration pneumonia
• Abscess in lung
• Alcoholics

Question 17

UTI-causing microorganisms

Answer 17

KEEPS:
• Klebsiella
• Enterococcus faecalis/ Enterobacter cloacae
• E. coli
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa/ Proteus mirabilis
• Staphylococcus saprophyticus/ Serratia marcescens