GRAM POSITIVE COCCI

Staphylococcal species: Gram positive, facultative anaerobic grape-like clusters of cocci.

Distinguishable from strep species by catalase test (positive).

Organism Disease Fun facts

Staph. aureus MANY. Impetigo, mastitis, Pyogenic, exotoxins (TSST), cytotoxins,
Toxic shock syndrome,
scalded baby, abscesses, etc. coagulase, catalase, degradative enzymes.
Staph. epidermidis Endocarditis, sepsis, Coagulase negative. Normal flora. Capsule. Can form
prosthesis infection. biofilms on catheters/valve replacements.
Staph. UTIs (most UTIs are Coagulase negative. Vagina and ureter. NO
saprophyticus Gram negative) exotoxin. Pyogenic infections only.

Streptococcal Species: Gram positive, facultative anaerobic pairs/chains of cocci. Distinguishable from
staph species by catalase test (negative). Coagulase negative.

Organism Disease Fun facts

Strep. Pyogenes Strep throat, Pyogenic, Group A Strep, M-protein (fimbriae),
cellulitis, scarlet fever immune related diseases, ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria
Strep. pneumoniae Meningitis, pneumonia, #1 cause of bacterial meningitis in >60yr age
otitis media range, capsule, major cause of death in elderly
Strep. mutans Cavities and Enters bloodstream during dental procedures,
endocarditis why they dose 2g Amoxicillin beforehand.
Strep. agalactiae Meningitis and Group B Strep, 30% of mothers are infected, #1
pneumonia cause of bacterial meningitis in <1 mo age range
Strep. bovis Nosocomial UTIs and Group D Strep, commonly found in cows or
endocarditis other ruminant (multiple stomached) animals

Enterococcal Species: Often occur in pairs (diplococci) or short chains. Facultative anaerobes.
Normally commensal, can be opportunistic pathogens.

Organism Disease Fun facts

E. faecalis Endocarditis and other Part of normal intestinal flora, often found in
nosocomial infections root-canals, can be vancomycin-resistant.
E. faecium Neonatal meningitis, Part of normal intestinal flora, can also be
gut wound infections vancomycin resistant, less common than faecalis.
 GRAM POSITIVE BACILLI (RODS)

Fun fact: The two genera that form endospores are Clostridia and Bacillus.

Organism Anaerobic Spores Exotoxin Disease Fun Facts

Growth
Corynebacterium N N Y, AB Diptheria, cranial The “D” in DPT vaccine. Forms
pseudomembrane near tonsils. Lives in upper
diphtheriae toxin nerve paralysis, CHF respiratory tract.
Bacillus anthracis N Y Y Anthrax, cutaneous or Historically important. Can cause
inhalation skin lesions. Potential bioweapon.
Bacillus cereus N Y Y, Food poisoning, Facultative anaerobe, vomiting (from rice)
less severe than diarrhea (from meat or
entero- vomiting/diarrhea vegetables.
Listeria N N N Food poisoning, meningitis, Can grow in the refrigerator,
abortions, endocarditis intracellular pathogen (macrophages)
monocytogenes
Clostridium Y Y Y Gas gangrene (amputation), Toxins liquefy tissue, “botched
food poisoning(10kcases/yr) abortion” organism. War wounds.
perfringens
Clostridium Y Y Y, Food poisoning/botulism Heat labile toxin, found in canned
(higher mortality/rare), goods, spores in soil, neck paralysis
botulinum ‘botox’ floppy baby syndrome
Clostridium tetani Y, Y Y, ‘Lockjaw’/Tetanus Causes spasmodic contraction of
Obligate neuro- muscle, vaccine available, infection
toxin shows effects in days to weeks
Clostridium Y Y Y, cyto- Pseudomembranous Nosocomial, very difficult to completely
difficile toxin colitis, diarrhea cure, toxin kills enterocytes
 GRAM NEGATIVE COCCI

Organism Disease Fun facts

Neisseria gonorrhea Gonorrhea (pyogenic), Often coinfected w/Chlamydia, most women
neonatal eye infections,
PID/infertility asymptomatic, men not so much, NO capsule
Neisseria meningitidis Meningitis, Via respiratory droplets, YES capsule, meningitis
pneumonia, arthritis outbreaks in infants and dormitories.
Moraxella catarrhalis Otitis media, Spread by respiratory route.
bronchopneumonia,
bronchitis/sinusitis
Acinetobacter spp. Pneumonia, sepsis, UTIs Found in soil/can be normal flora, grows in water, can be
nosocomial infection on catheters and respirators.

GRAM NEGATIVE BACILLI (RODS)

Organism name Disease Fun facts

Escherichia coli MANY. UTIs, bladder/kidney 80-90% of all UTIs. Most abundant facultative
infections, dysentery,
(general) pneumonia, meningitis, etc. anaerobe in feces/colon.
E. coli ETEC Traveler’s diarrhea, Heat labile enterotoxin, fecal-oral route, watery
infant diarrhea diarrhea, infects small intestine.
E. coli EPEC Infant diarrhea Watery diarrhea, destroy microvilli in small
(infected at birth) intestinal mucosal cells
E. coli EHEC Hemorrhagic colitis O17:H7, binds/kills large intestinal cells with
verotoxin, bloody diarrhea, w/o inflammation.
E. coli EIEC Dysentery Invades large intestinal cells, bloody diarrhea
with inflammatory cells in stool
Salmonella enterica Gastroenteritis, NVD Intracellular parasite, endotoxin, food poisoning
from pigs/chicken products.
Salmonella typhi Typhoid Fever Infects from intestine to Peyer’s Patch to
bloodstream which leads to fever
Shigella spp. Shigellosis Intracellular, fecal-oral from humans only, low exposure
needed to cause infection, bloody diarrhea, very similar to
EIEC.
Vibrio cholerae Cholera Usually from contaminated water, rice-water stool,
electrolyte loss, massive diarrhea, 40% mortality untreated
Vibrio Diarrhea From eating raw shellfish.
parahaemolyticus
Helicobacter pylori Stomach ulcers, Produces urease (w/NH3) to neutralize stomach
gastritis, cancer risk pH. Primary cause of stomac/duodenal ulcers.
Camphylobacter Enterocolitis. Foul S-shaped rod. Microaerophile. Bloody stools,
jejuni smelling diarrhea. severe abdominal pain. Fever. Fecal-oral.
Klebsiella UTIs, pneumonia Thick bloody sputum, opportunistic nosocomial
pneumoniae infection, large intestine, soil and water.
Serratia marsescens UTIs, pneumonia Opportunistic nosocomial infection, large
intestine, soil and water.
Enterbacter spp. UTIs, pneumonia Opportunistic nosocomial infection, large
intestine, soil and water.
 GRAM NEGATIVE BACILLI (RODS) CONT.

Organism name Disease Fun facts

Proteus vulgaris UTIs Urease positive, highly motile, live in colon,
water, and soil. Urease increases pH.
Proteus mirabilis UTIs Urease positive, highly motile, live in colon,
water, and soil. Urease increases pH.
Providencia rettgeri UTIs Urease positive, highly motile, live in colon,
water, and soil. Urease increases pH.
Morganella UTIs Urease positive, highly motile, live in colon,
morganii water, and soil. Urease increases pH.
Pseudomonas Nosocomial UTIs, pneumonia, Strictly aerobic, oxidase positive, motile, opportunistic,
skin/eye/ear infections grows in tap water/hot tubs/nosepieces of your glasses.
aeruginosa
Bacteroides fragilis Intra-abdominal Anaerobic, no spores, predominant organism in colon (>E.
abscesses coli), infects after abdominal wound or surgery.
Haemophilus Otitis media, sinusitis, Endotoxin, capsule. Transmitted via respiratory
influenza bronchitis, pneumonia, droplets. Pathogenesis depends on site colonized,
meningitis, epiglottitis. systemic or local.
Legionella Legionnaire’s disease, Facultative, aerobic, intracellular parasite. Lives in
pneumophila severe atypical soil/water. 10-15% mortality in outbreaks (esp.
pneumonia nosocomial), can live in air conditioners.
Bordetella pertussis Whooping cough Pertussis toxin. The “P” in DPT vaccine. Attaches to/kills
epithelium/ciliated cells in upper respiratory tract.

MEDICALLY IMPORTANT BACTERIA

Organism name Disease Fun facts

Chlamydia Atypical pneumonia, Cause of ~10% of pneumonias. Transmitted via
pneumoniae bronchitis respiratory secretion.
Chlamydia psittaci Pneumonia Bird feces
Chlamydia trachomatis Urethritis, cervicitis, Only infect humans, STD and infants via birth canal.
(STD strains) infertility due to PID. 75%F/50%M asymptomatic. Infertility due to PID.
Chlamydia trachomatis Eye infection leading Leading cause of blindness worldwide. Rare in
(trachoma strains) to blindness U.S. Spread via flies and hand-eye contact.
Mycoplasma Atypical pneumonia, Only infects humans. Lower respiratory tract
pneumoniae bronchitis infection. Attaches to cilia, leads to necrosis.
Mycoplasma PID (infrequent)
hominis
Ureaplasma Urethritis Causes ~20% of non-gonococcal urethritis.
urealyticum
Borellia burgdorferi Lyme disease (3 Spirochete. Most common vectorborne (via deer tick)
stages) disease in U.S. 1-Flu-like (easily treatable) 2-
Arthritis/Bell’s palsy, 3-Chronic arthritis/CNS disease.
Treponema pallidum Syphilis (3 stages), Spirochete, flagellated, easily killed. Can cross placenta. 1-
congenital (fetal death) painless chancre, 2-skin lesions, 3-ulcerated granulomas.
 MEDICALLY IMPORTANT BACTERIA (CONT.)

Organism name Disease Fun facts

Anaplasma Fever, chills, headache, Infects granulocytes. Normal host is mouse,
phagocytophilum myalgia, leukopenia, etc. humans dead end host (via deer tick).
Rickettsia rickettsi Rocky mountain spotted Tick borne. High fever and rash. Mortality ~25%
fever due to vascular collapse.
Rickettsia Typhus Lice borne. Can spread human-human. High fever,
prowazekki headache, stupor – leading to CNS dysfunction and
myocarditis. High mortality untreated.
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Top worldwide killer organism. Form granulomas (in lungs
tuberculosis and other areas) that harden, then liquefy to allow bacteria
to spread.
Mycobacterium Disseminated miliary Common in severely immunosuppressed AIDS patients.
avium (MAC) disease Most common systemic bacterial infection.

Mycobacterium Leprosy Slow growing, spread by long term skin contact,

leprae intracellular growth in cool temperatures, leads to nerve
damage.