Staphylococcus: Difference between revisions

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(New page: Three main types: *Staphylococcus aureus *S. epidermis *S. saprophyticus ===Classification:=== ''Colour'' * S. aureus grey/yellow colonies, other two white. ''Coagulase'' * S. aureus has ...)
 
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===Classification:===
===Classification:===
''Colour''
* ''Colour'' - S. aureus grey/yellow colonies, other two white.
* S. aureus grey/yellow colonies, other two white.
* ''Coagulase'' - S. aureus has a coagulase enzyme, which forms clots in plasma.
''Coagulase''
* ''DNAase'' - S. aureus has this enzyme, others don't.
* S. aureus has a coagulase enzyme, which forms clots in plasma.
* ''Protein A'' - S. aureus has this cell wall antigen, others don't – so Protein A antibodies will only agglutinate S. aureus.
''DNAase''
* ''Novobiocin sensitivity'' - To differentiate between the coagulase-negative types, S. epidermis and S. saprophyticus, only S. epidermis is sensitive to novobiocin.
*S. aureus has this enzyme, others don't.
''Protein A''
*S. aureus has this cell wall antigen, others don't – so Protein A antibodies will only agglutinate S. aureus.
''Novobiocin sensitivity''
*To differentiate between the coagulase-negative types, S. epidermis and S. saprophyticus, only S. epidermis is sensitive to novobiocin.


===S. aureus===
===S. aureus===

Revision as of 14:25, 14 September 2008

Three main types:

  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • S. epidermis
  • S. saprophyticus

Classification:

  • Colour - S. aureus grey/yellow colonies, other two white.
  • Coagulase - S. aureus has a coagulase enzyme, which forms clots in plasma.
  • DNAase - S. aureus has this enzyme, others don't.
  • Protein A - S. aureus has this cell wall antigen, others don't – so Protein A antibodies will only agglutinate S. aureus.
  • Novobiocin sensitivity - To differentiate between the coagulase-negative types, S. epidermis and S. saprophyticus, only S. epidermis is sensitive to novobiocin.

S. aureus

About

  • Common human commensal, found nasally in 30-50%.
  • Coagulase hinders phagocytosis, as does the cell envelope.
  • Protein A prevents binds to Fc component of antibodies, preventing complement activation.

Pathology

  • Skin - boils, wound infections
  • Respiratory – pneumonia, lung abscesses, worsening of chronic lung disease

Treatment

  • 1st generation: flucloxacillin
  • MRSA generation: vancomycin (glycopeptide)
  • Van resistant generation: you will probably die.

S. epidermidis

About

  • Common human commensal, found on skin in 30-50%.
  • Very good at sticking to artificial surfaces, such as fake heart valves, hips, catheters and central venous lines; through production in some strains of a slime layer (glycocalyx)

Pathology

  • UTIs, especially in catheterised patients.
  • Bacteraemia, most common bacteria found in blood cultures.

Treatment

  • They are similar to aureus, in that they have widespread resistance. Sadly, treatment often needs vancomycin.

S. saprophyticus

About

  • Commonly causes UTIs in sexually active young women, sometimes leading to cystitis with haematuria (honeymoon cystitis)