Gram-positive cocci are gram-positive bacteria with a spherical shape. Staphylococci are gram-positive facultative anaerobe. The most pathogenic staphylococci are staphylococcus aureus. This organism commonly causes skin infections such as Scalded Skin Syndrome and sometimes causes pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, and septicemia.
Diagnosis of Staphylococcal infections is done by Gram Stain and culturing the infected area. Chest x-rays, sputum testing, and clinical evaluation may also be used in diagnosis staphylococcal infections. Since methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus are common in hospitals and emerging community’s susceptibility tests should be completed when diagnosing a patient with this type of infection. Susceptibility tests are important because these methicillin-resistant strains will require an alternate treatment. If an individual is suspected of having SSSS, cultures should be taken from the blood, urine, nasopharynx, and umbilicus. Diagnosis of Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome also involves physical examination, Tzanck smear, and a skin biopsy.
Staphylococcus aureus is
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aureus infections vary but can include abscesses and/or cellulitis. Abscesses form at the injury site and are commonly filled with pus and appear red, warm, and swollen. Cellulitis occurs underlying layers of the skin and is characterized by redness, swelling, and pain. Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia is sometimes characterized by the formation of lung abscesses, difficulty breathing, malaise, fever, or chills. S. aureus meningitis may show symptoms of fever, chills, mental status change, nausea, photophobia, stiff neck, and severe headache. Staphylococcal endocarditis is often accompanied with visceral abscesses, symbolic phenomena, pericarditis, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and heart murmurs. As for toxic shock syndrome, signs may include diarrhea, myalgia, elevated CK, hepatic damage, thrombocytopenia, and
The Gram positive bacteria has been nicknamed Posi. The Gram positive species’ morphology includes having an opaque opacity with a smooth margin. The moisture content of the Gram positive species is shiny and the pigmentation is gold. The Gram positive species grows at an optimal temperature of 37°C. The shape of the Gram positive species is a cocci, with an arrangement of grapelike clusters. The Gram positive species’ size ranges from .5-1.5 µm. Oxygen requirement of the Gram positive species is facultative, and has complete lysis of red blood cells. All results are summarized in Table
The results of the gram stain test were cocci and purple. This indicated that the unknown bacteria were gram positive. The gram stain test eliminated Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella enterica, and Yersinia enterocolitica as choices because these bacteria are gram negative. Next a Blood Agar plate was used because in order to do a MSA or a Catalase test there needs to be a colony of the bacteria. The result of the Blood Agar plate was nonhemolytic.
Staphylococcus epidermidis is classified as a bacterium. This particular bacterium is identified in laboratory testing by its forms of clusters and a violet stain. The violet stain indicates that the staphylococcus epidermidis is gram- positive meaning that it is sphere shaped and does not contain an outer cell membran). This type of Staphylococcus does not typically cause disease in healthy people.
G. vaginalis cells are gram-negative to gram-variable. These cells are nonmotile, small, pleomorphic rods that do not have endospores, flagella, or typical capsules. In vaginal fluid smears, the Gram reaction may vary from positive to negative (Catlin, 1992). G. vaginalis is viewed in non-crowded areas in a Papanicolaou preparation. Their morphology and staining reactions are affected by the bacteria’s physiological state. Both coccobacilli and longer forms occur in 24 hour cultures of G. vaginalis on blood agar. Their average dimensions are 0.4 by 1.0 to 1.5µm. The cells do not elongate into filaments although they can be up to 2 to 3µm (Catlin, 1992).
Streptococcus pyogenes is a gram positive bacteria that is associated with multiple types of diseases. Streptos means a chain of links and coccus means a round object. Together this describes the shape of Streptococcus pyogenes, a round chain of ten or more cocci, each measuring 0.5 to 0.75 μm in diameter. This bacterium can cause scarlet fever, streptococcal pharyngitis and erysipelas in humans. It is identified mainly by its ability to create β-haemolysis in blood agar plates.
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A streptococcus (GAS), is a β-hemolytic, Gram-positive bacterium that most commonly causes respiratory disease, including pharyngitis or tonsillitis, as well as skin infections such as impetigo and cellulitis. The organism is transmitted via respiratory droplets or by contact with fomites, and commonly infects young children. In addition to the common clinical presentations associated with S. pyogenes, some individuals develop the postinfectious sequelae of rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Due to the severity of these medical consequences, prophylactic antibiotic use is often recommended for any patients with otherwise mild S. pyogenes infections (21).
A common healthcare acquired infection that is seen both inside and outside of the hospital is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MRSA can have detrimental effects on the patient and is usually acquired within the hospital setting. The PICOT statement has many important aspects to include such as: population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time, which is used to produce an evidence-based question. According to Schmidt & Brown (2012), the PICOT statement is used in evidence-based practice is to make decisions about patient care based on evidence with clinical expertise appraisal and current research while also considering patient preferences and values. The PICOT statement: In patients between the ages of 30 and 70 admitted
Before discussing Infective Endocarditis, it’s imperative to understand where the endocardium is along with its function because endocarditis affects this area of the heart. The Endocardium is the innermost layer of heart tissue that lines the cavities and valves of the heart and is composed of loose epithelial and connective tissue. The endocardium regulates contractions of the heart and helps regulate the composition of the blood that feeds the tissues of the heart (Kenney, 2015). Infective Endocarditis, IE, is an infection of the endocardium that generally occurs when bacteria or germs from another part of the body, such as the mouth, spread through the bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in the heart (Endocarditis Definition, 2015). Individuals that have an increased risk of developing Endocarditis include:
Even though S. aureus is mainly associated with food poisoning, the bacterium can penetrate the skin or other mucous membranes to invade a range of tissues which will cause a variety of infections. Superficial infection of the skin can cause boils, impetigo, styes (infection of the glands or hair follicles of the eyelids), folliculitis, and furnacles. All of these infections are charac...
Symptoms of toxic shock syndrome vary from case to case. Additionally, the symptoms vary also based on whether the toxic shock was caused from Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogens.
FR is a 67 year old woman with chronic lower extremity edema and right lower extremity cellulitis, who has been managed with ciproflaxin, having failed outpatient treatment. Now is admitted for antibiotics and wound care after presenting to clinic on day of admission. The patient also has been complaining of poor p.o. intake for the last week or so due to poor appetite and some chills. Also notes some falls, 2 times in the last week or so. Several days prior to admit, had a fall while trying to have a bowel movement, which resulted in incontinence. While running to the bathroom, she slipped and fell on a stool, hit her head on the toilet, and passed out as a result. She did not present to medical care at that time, but in the ED during this presentation she had a normal CAT scan of her abdomen. Chest x-ray was also normal. Vitals were unremarkable, without any evidence of SIRS physiology. Prior cultures grew MSSA resistant to clindamycin, levo, penicillin, and pseudomonas pan sensitive.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a facultative anaerobe, which after performing a Gram-staining appears as blue-black cocci with the lancet shape, mostly in pair...
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive and fast-growing bacteria which inhabit upper respiratory tract in humans. Moreover, it is an aerotolerant anaerobe and usually causes respiratory diseases including pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, peritonitis, paranasal sinusitis, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis (Todar, 2003). According to Tettelin et al., more than 3 million of children die from meningitis or pneumonia worldwide (2001). S.pneumoniae has an enzyme known as autolysin that is responsible for disintegration and disruption of epithelial cells. Furthermore, S.pneumoniae has many essential virulence factors like capsule which is made up of polysaccharides that avoids complement C3b opsonization of cells by phagocytes. Many vaccines contain different capsular antigens which were isolated from various strains (Todar, 2003). There are plenty of S.pneumoniae strains that developed resistance to most popular antibiotics like macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and penicillin since 1990 (Tettelin et al., 2001). Antibiotic resistance was developed by the gene mutation and selection processes that, as a consequence, lead to the formation of penicillin-binding proteins, etc. (Todar, 2003).
Streptococcus pyogenes is a very common bacteria found in humans. It is very transmissible and can be caught through the air via coughing or sneezing. This form of Strep. illness is referred to as Streptococcal pharyngitis, also known as Strep. throat, which can complicate into Scarlet Fever. It is also possible to be infected through abrasions of the skin, which can result in cellulitis, impetigo, or even necrotizing fasciitis. Aside from human to human contact, these bacteria can also be found in unpasteurized milk. There is no vaccine for Streptococcal infections, though antibiotics such as penicillin still work very well against them.
Infection control is very important in the health care profession. Health care professionals, who do not practice proper infection control, allow themselves to become susceptible to a number of infections. Among the most dreaded of these infections are: hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Another infection which has more recently increased in prevalence is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These infections are all treated differently. Each infection has its own symptoms, classifications, and incubation periods. These infections are transmitted in very similar fashions, but they do not all target the same population.