Staphylococcus aureus Flashcards
Motility:
non-motile
Catalase:
positive
Gram reaction:
gram positive cocci in clusters
Atmosphere requirements:
Environmental air. Facultative anaerobe
Areas of the body where SA is a commensal:
Skin and mucosal membranes
Which percent of the population is colonized by SA in their nares?
20-40%
What are the virulence factors of SA?
Capsular polysaccharides and biofilm formation
Adhesins
Unique peptidoglycan cell wall with teichoic and lipoteichoic acids
Protein A
Enzymes
Hemolysin
Leukocidins
Toxin production
Superantigens
Colony morphology:
Large, smooth colonies. Some strains are pigmented (golden). Some strains are beta-hemolytic.
What does the polysaccharide capsule of SA do?
Promotes adherence to host cells and prosthetic devices. Prevents ingestion by PMNs. Alters the binding of complement.
70-80% of significant isolates belong to one of these two serotypes:
Serotype 5 or 8
What is the chemical makeup of peptidoglycan?
Cross-linked polymers of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid
What do the teichoic and lipoteichoic acids in the peptidoglycan wall do?
Help adhere to mucosal surfaces and anchor into cell wall enzymes
Which gene codes Protein A?
spa
What does Protein A do?
Binds to Fc region of all IgG (except IgG3), von Willebrand Factor, and complement protein C3. In doing so, it interrupts the signaling that occurs to initiate an immune response.
What is clumping factor?
Enzyme responsible for binding SA to fibrin and fibrinogen.