Staphylococcus and Micrococci

Gram Positive Cocci

Staphyloccus or Streptococcus
high content of peptidoglycan
Family Micrococcaceae
1. Staphylococcus human pathogen
2. Micrococcus rarely infectious
3. Planococcus marine env
4. Stomatococcus emerging rare oppor.

Staphylococcus
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Gram-positive arranged in tetrads or clusters

Facultative anaerobes

Medium-sized, raised creamy colonies on BAP

Catalase positive

Oxidase negative

Non-motile

Non-spore forming

Reduces nitrates to nitrites

Grows in 7.5 to 10% NaCl

BACITRACIN resistant

Can divided into two groups

S. aureus: coagulae POSITIVE

CoNS (Coagulase Negative Staph): S. epidermidis, S. saprophyticus, S.

hominis, S. hemolyticus and S. warneri
Staphylococcus
positive
Medium sized, raised, creamy
Tetrads or clusters

Mannitol Salt Agar: 7.5 to 10% NaCl

3.

Colistin-Nalidixic Acid (CNA)

BA + colistin and nalidixic acid which

are selective for gram positive

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS

Catalase
BAP
Arrangement

2.

Streptococcus
negative
Pinpoint, flat, colorless
Pairs or chains

Ferments many CHO (lactic acid)

Resistant to drying, heat and NaCl

Generally sensitive to many antimicrobials. May produce resistance gene:

1.

2.

Culture
1.

Blood Agar Plate - medium convex, creamy and dome shaped, white to yellow
pigment.

3.

Beta-lactamase production plasmid control by transduction or conjugation

Penicillins, Cephalosporins, Monobactams and cCrbapenems

inhibiting the cell wall systhesi

Methicillin: B-lactamase resistant

mecA Staphylococcal cassette chromosome

ccrA and ccrB catalyze precision excision of SCCmec

Insertion sites for plasmids and transposons

Vancomycin

MIC > 16 ug/mL

vanA from enterococci

Staphylococcus and Micrococci

Clinical Findings
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Carbuncle, furucle
Impetigo
Scalded skin syndrome
Food poisoining
TSS
Pneumonia
Bacteremia
Ostemyelitis

Staphylococcus aureus

BAP: medium to large colonies, creamy appearance, narrow zone of Beta-hemolysis

MSA yellow colonies

DNAse test + (clearing of the dye toluidine blue w/ HCl; turns PINK)

Coagulase + (bacterial colonies in saline + rabbit plasma

fibrin clots)

Antigenic Structures
1.

Teichoic acid P of glycerol and ribitol phosphate that provide rigidity

2.
3.

to the cell wall

Protein A adhesins that resist opsonization
Capsules inhibit phagocytosis

Staphylococcus epidermidis

1.
2.

Extracellular Enzymes & Toxin

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Coagulases convert fibrinogen to active fibrin

Staphylokinase dissolves fibrin clots
Lipase hydrolyzes fats
Hyaluronidase hydrolyzes hyaluronic acid
DNase degrades DNA

6.
7.
8.
9.

Exfoliatins hydrolyzes tissue (Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome)

Leukocidins lyse neutrophils and macrophages
Hemolysisn lyse RBCs
Enterotoxins
a. Staph related poisoning (A & B)
b. Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 (F)

non-hemolytic on BAP
Positive growth on CAN
Coagulase NEG
DNase NEG
Susceptible to NOVOBIOCIN
Bacterial endocarditis
Nosocomial infections

Staphylococcus saprophyticus

Coagulase NEG
DNase NEG
resistant to NOVOBIOCIN

Stomotococcus mucilaginosus

NEG growth in 7-5 to `0% NaCl

CAT POSITIVE weakly
Coagulase NEG

Staphylococcus and Micrococci

7-10% NaCl
+
+

Catalase
POS
POS

COAG
POS
neg

DNase
POST
neg

NOVOBIOCIN

S. auereus
S. epidermidis
S. saprophyticus
Stomotococcus

+
-

POS
Weakly +

neg
neg

neg

resistant

susceptible

mucilaginosus
General Characteristics: