Test 2 Flashcards
Characteristics of Staphylococcus
G+ ubiquitous-almost everyone will have a staph infection non-Motile do Not form Spores Facultative anaerobe produce Catalase most are Halotolerant (up to 9%) grow over Wide range of temperature (15-45 C)
What are the characteristics of Staphylococcus epidermidis
mostly opportunistic
often in implanted devices and joints
part of the normal flora
grows on Blood agar
What do we use to grow Staphylococcus aureus in the Lab
Blood Agar
Where is S. aureus found?
GI tract
urogenital tract
transient vaginal carriage
moist skin folds (problems with school and gyms)
Nasal carriage (is biggest problem-skin sheds, found on 25-50% adults and 60% of health care workers)
How is S. aureus transmitted by?
Direct Indirect -fomite Survive on surfaces for a long period of time (hours-months) depending on the amount of Nutrients and Moisture -Survives on clothing and linens
Name groups of infection for
Staphylococcus aureus?
- people with breaks in the skin ( follicles, bug bites, IV users, needles)
- people taking broad spectrum antibiotics (major resistance to S. aureus)
- people ingesting food containing enterotoxins
- elderly
- children
- immuno compromised people
- people undergone through surgery (stitches and sutures)
- pre-mature babies
What are the 3 Surface virulent factors that S. aureus have?
- capsule
- protein A
- peptidoglycan
How does the surface factor capsule work as a virulent factor for S. aureus?
the polysaccharide thick layer of the capsule
- provides Adhesion
- is Anti-phagocytic
- prevents from Drying out
- contains Multiple Serotypes
How does the surface factor protein A work as a virulent factor for S. aureus?
the protein A coats the surface of the cell
- acts as an adhesin (it needs a receptor to attach to the host)
- binds and disables IgG (delaying initial immune response-it extends time to allow high multiplication->causes a lot of damage)
How does the surface factor peptidoglycan work as a virulent factor for S. aureus?
- causes release of Cytokines (IL-1 pro-inflammatory)->drives immune response to cell-mediated avoiding phagocytosis
- endotoxin activity
- facilitates abscess formation
Name the different kinds of virulent factors that S. aureus has
- Surface factors
- Binding proteins
- Membrane damaging exotoxins
- Super-antigens
- Enzymes
What are binding proteins that serve as virulent factors for S. aureus?
- Fibronectin binding protein (FBP)
- allows adhesion & internalization to host tissue
- Clumping factor
- allows attachment to blood= it clots using platelets-> damages tissue
What are some of the characteristics of membrane damaging exotoxins for S. aureus?
- lyse PMNs->PMNs release lysosomal enxymes->tissue damage
- destroy cells: erythrocytes, hepatocytes, fibroblasts, platelets
what is the effect of alpha toxin of S. Aureus?
It damages host cell membrane by inserting into membrane->osmotic lysis
- major mediator of tissue damage
- Disrupts smooth muscle in vessels
- high levels leads to shock
What does the S. aureus beta toxin do?
- Sphingomyelinase C causes hydrolysis of membrane lipids
- It is highly hemolytic (RBC damage)
What is Sphingomyelinase C?
It is a Beta toxin (S. aureus)
It causes hydrolysis of membrane lipids
It is highly hemolytic
What are the 3 D’s of Delta toxin?
- causes high levels of Diarrhea (associated with food intoxication)
- act as a Detergent
- Dissolves cell membrane in a wide range of cell types
What are the characteristics of Gamma toxin in Staph. aureus?
-Lyses PMN’s and macrophages dodging the immune system
There are 2 separate proteins required for toxin to work:
-fast eluting protein
-slow eluting protein
What are leukocidin in Staph aureus?
They are Gamma toxins that damages WBC's (PMN's & macrophages) They dodge the immune system This toxin has to components: 1. F component- fast eluting protein 2. S component- slow eluting protein
Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL)
- Lyses many types of WBC’s
- It is used as a marker to identify CA-MRSA strain
- It has a F & S component (protein subunits)
- It is related to severe skin and lung infections
What are the superantigens located on the same pathogenicity island?
- Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST1)
- Enterotoxin
- Exfoliative toxin
What are the characteristics of TSST1?
- It binds directly to T cells without MHCII antigen presentation
- Toxin is expressed under conditions of high oxygen levels and neutral pH
- Toxin is related 100% of menstrual TSS and 75% of non-menstrual TSS cases
What is the toxin that is in the CDC list of bioterrorism agents (category B)?
Enterotoxin B of Staph. aureus
If aerosolized=major respiratory problem and shock
at minimum, it causes 2 weeks of incapacitation
at maximum, it is fatal
What are the characteristics of enterotoxin of Staph. aureus?
- Heat stable-survives boiling
- survives gastric acid
- most commonly implicated in food intoxication=emesis (vomiting & diarrhea
- enterotoxin B is potent (bioterrorism)
- many versions (up to 50% of strains produce at least one)
What are characteristics and the name of the toxin that produces Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS)?
The Exfoliative toxin has 2 forms:
1. ETA: heat stable
2. ETB: heat labile
The exfoliative toxin binds to cells in the stratum granulosum of keratinized epidermis=disruption of junctions between stratum granulosum and spinosum
What are the enzymes that Staph. aureus uses as a virulent factor? What are their functions
- Hyaluronidase: hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid in host=damages connective tissue=facilitates spreading
- Coagulase: activates fibrinogen to fibrin=clotting is produced=abscess formation (protective from immune system)
- Catalase: breaks down hydrogen peroxide
- Lipase: hydrolysis of lipids and sebum from skin= essential for survival on skin= these are used as nutrients
- Penicillinase: greater than 90% of strain are resistant to B-lactam drugs. breaks down penicillin
Give some characteristics of folliculitis
-Minor infection in hair follicle
-It can come from a wound infection
-It is purulent
-Spontaneous resolution= no need of antibiotics, only drainage necessary
-single focus infection
Ex: stye: infection around the eye (easy to inoculate)
Give some characteristics of furuncle
- it can develop from a folliculitis= gets worse
- from sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and hair follicles
- Spontaneous resolution= no need of antibiotics (drainage necessary)
- single focus infection
Give some characteristics of a carbuncle
- It is several furuncles infections in the same area
- Antibiotics are necessary
- potential to be a systemic infection if it enters the blood
What are the symptoms and characteristics of SSSS (Staph Scalded Skin Syndrome)?
- Exfoliative toxin produces desquamation= erythema and cutaneous blisters
- skin is replaced after 7days
- Immunity to toxin
- no antibiotic therapy necessary (spontaneous resolution)
- common in children under 5 yrs old
What are the symptoms of TSS (toxic shock syndrome)?
- fever
- sore throat
- vomiting
- rash
- muscle pain
- diarrhea
- desquamation of palm and soles after 48 hours
What are some characteristics of TSS (toxic shock syndrome)?
- TSST1 is usually involved, or enterotoxin B & C
- can be associated with menstruation & the use of highly absorbent tampons
- disease progresses over 48 hours to cause desquamation of soles & palms widespread organ damage
- Staph. aureus needs to be present in vagina to onset syndrome
- it occurs after 5 days of menstruation