Streptococcus pneumonia

Question 1

In the mice study with Fredrick Griffith, what bacteria killed the mice?

Answer 1

bacteria with carbohydrate capsule (shiny killer strain) called the transforming factor

Question 2

What do staph. aureus and strep. pyogenes have in common?

Answer 2

both can cause toxic shock syndrome

Question 3

T/F: streptococcus pneumoniae can be frequently isolated as normal flora

Answer 3

True!
especially in the upper respiratory tract of pre-schooled children
- this also is the frequent cause of otits media in infants and children
and major cause of community acquired pneumonia and common cause of bacteria and meningitis

Question 4

Is strep pneumonia pyogenic or viridans?

Answer 4

viridans (alpha-hemolysis on blood agar)

Question 5

T/F: mitis and mutans strep show full hemolysis

Answer 5

False!
mitis and mutans are a-hemolyisis and a-hemolysis is incomplete lysis of RBCs so partial or no hemolysis

Question 6

What can s. pneumonia cause?

Answer 6

endocarditis, intra-abdominal infection, abscess in liver, lungs or brain, or infections of foreign bodies in artificial replacements

Question 7

What is number one cause of heart valve infection?

Answer 7

staph
- this can cause scarring and an opening for mitis to grow

Question 8

What is another name for the group s. pneumonia is in?

Answer 8

strep. oralis or mitis

Question 9

What would you see in the microscope of strep pneumoniae?

Answer 9

gram + diplococci

(gram - diplococci: Neisseria)

Question 10

What is the #1 community acquired disease?

Answer 10

pneumonia

Question 11

How common is s. pneumonia to be the cause of bacterial meningitis?

Answer 11

50%

Question 12

What are other disease s. pneumonia causes?

Answer 12

bacteremia, meningitis, ear infection in kids (otis media), bronchitis, sinusitis

Question 13

Which is more fatal if involved with pneumonia: s. pyogenes or s. pneumonia?

Answer 13

s. pyogenes

Question 14

T/F: s. pneumonia can colonize on joints and cause arthritis

Answer 14

True!
both strep pneumonia and staph aureus can cause septic arthritis and endocarditis

Question 14

What is the largest cause of ear infection?

Answer 14

S. pneumonia

Question 15

Where can a gram stained be taken from to determine if strep. pneumonia?

Answer 15

blood, sputum (rust color), or CNS fluid

Question 16

T/F: S. pneumonia are very sensitive to penicillin

Answer 16

False!
They used to be but now all isolates should be tested for resistance due to emerging increase in the percent of penicillin resistant strains (25-35%)

Question 17

What are the polysaccharides (capsule) important for in S. pneumoniae?

Answer 17

serotyping and vaccine making

Question 18

Pneumolysin can only be observed ____________

Answer 18

anaerobically (absence of air)

• pneumolysin is an exotoxin of s. pneumoniae

Question 19

What are the exotoxins in s. pneumonia?

Answer 19

pneumolysin and IgA1 protease

Question 20

What is the old vaccine for s. pneumonia and why is not used as much as normal?

Answer 20

Pneumovax 23 is a purified capsule polysaccharide from 23 out common isolates that covers 90% of isolates
- works well in adults but no response in children below the age of 2

Question 21

What is the new vaccine for s. pneumonia after pneumovax 23?

Answer 21

heptavalent conjugate vaccine- PCV7 which is a purified capsule polysaccharide from 7 of the most common isolates and conjugated to a protein that covers 85% of isolates and works in infants

Question 22

What is the newest vaccine as of 2010 for s. pneumonia?

Answer 22

Prevnar 13 conjugate caving which is 6 more purified capsule polysaccharids to cover capsule serotypes not in PCV7 and should be used in replace of PCV7