Bacillus anthracis

-Respiration

-Capsule

-Spores

-Motility

-Hemolysis

-Virulence factors

-diseases

-notes

Respiration: aerobic

Capsule: yes

Spores: yes

Motility: no

Hemolysis: none

Virulence Structures:

- capsule (pXO2 = plasmid for capsule)

  ~only bacteria w/ protein capsule

  ~protects against bactericidal components of serum, abs, and complement, phagocytosis

- anthrax toxin (pXO1 = plasmid for protective antigen, edema factor, and lethal factor) - attacks macrophages via pore→AC→lysis

Diseases:

-inhalational, cutaneous, GI anthrax

Notes:

- Thiamine growth requirement

- raised colonies on blood agar

- Inhalational = enlarged mediastinum

- Cutaneous = eschar formation

Bacillus cereus

-Respiration

-Capsule

-Spore

-Motility

-Hemolysis

-Disease pathology

-Notes

Respiration: aerobe

Capsule: none

Spores: yes, central spore

Motile: yes

Hemolysis:  β

Disease pathology:

- food poisoning via enterotoxins in 2 stages

  ~1st stage: nausea, vomiting, cramps via emetic, heat stable toxin

  ~2nd stage: diarrhea toxin; heat labile, ↑cAMP in enterocytes

- endophthalmitis - necrotizing exotoxin

- endocarditis

B. anthracis

- Thiamine growth requirement

- peptide capsule

B. cereus

- β-hemolytic

- motile

Clostridium tetani

- respiration

- spores

- motility

- hemolysis

- virulence factors

- diseases

- notes

Respiration:

- obligate anaerobe

Spores: yes

Motile: yes

Hemolysis: no

Virulence factor:  tetanospasmin (toxin)

Diseases: tetanus

Notes:

- raised colonies on agar

- tetanospasmin prevents inhibitory neurotransmitter release 

Clostridium botulinum

-respiration

-spores

-motility

-hemolysis

-virulence factors

-diseases

-notes

Respiration: obligate anaerobe

Spores: yes

Motility: yes

Hemolysis: no

Virulence factors: botulin toxin

Diseases: botulism 

Notes:

- botulin toxin prevents ACh release from neurons leading to flaccid paralysis

Clostridium difficile

-respiration

-motility

-spores

-virulence factors

-disease

-notes

Respiration: obligate anaerobe

Spores: yes

Motility: yes

Virulence factors:

  -A toxin (enterotoxin)

  -B toxin (actin breakdown)

Diseases: pseudomembranous colitis

Notes:

- overgrows colon under antibiotic pressure

Clostridium perfringens

- respiration

- spores

- motility

- hemolysis

- virulence factors

- diseases

Respiration: obligate anaerobe

Spores: yes

Motility: no

Hemolysis: double hemolysis

Virulence factors:

- α-toxin = lecithinase; outer zone

- θ-toxin = inner zone

Diseases:

- gas gangrene

- myonecrosis

- food poisoning

- necrotizing enterocolitis

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

-respiration

-spores

-motility

-hemolysis

-virulence factors

-diseases

-notes

Respiration: aerobe/ facultative anaerobe

Spores: no

Motility: no

Hemolysis: α (or β)

Virulence factors:

  -phage mediated toxin, A-chain inactivates EF-2 preventing peptide elongation

Diseases: localized

  - pharyngitis

  - bull neck due to lymphadenitis

  - pseudomembrane

  - cutaneous infection

  - systemic disease

  - myocarditis

  - nerve paralysis

  - adrenal gland hypofunction

Notes:

- catalase (+)

-  pleomorphic growth on selective media such as potassium tellurite or Loeffler medium with methylene blue stain

Listeria monocytogenes

-respiration

-spore

-motility

-hemolysis

-virulence factors

-diseases

-notes

Respiration: aerobe

Spore: no

Motile: yes

Hemolysis: β 

Virulence factors:

  - listeriolysin O = lysosome breakdown

  - actin rockets

  - phospholipase C

Diseases:

  - flu-like illness

  - meningoencephalitis

  - peurperal sepsis

  - endocarditis

Notes:

  - catalase (+)

  - intracellular pathogen

Respiration and Spores for Gram Positive Bacilli

- for each of the 4 genera tell if it is aerobic or not and spore-forming or not

Genus                   Aerobe        Spore

Bacilli                      Yes             Yes

Clostridium              No              Yes

Corynebacterium     Yes              No

Listeria                    Yes              No