Dr. Maytham F. Jalal M.B.CH.B.- F.I.C.M.S neurology
Staphylococci Nonmotile. Grow readily on most bacteriological media; facultative anaerobic. Grow most rapidly at 37 oC, but form carotenoid pigment best at room temperature under aerobic condition on solid medium. Produce catalase. Relatively resistant to drying, heat (40oC) and 10% NaCl.Gram-positive cocci (a bunch of grapes)
Morphology and Identification
Structure of staphylococcal cell wall
Cytotoxins a-toxin: pore-forming , cytotoxic to many types of cells including muscle cells. b-toxin: degrades sphingomyelin and is toxic for many kinds of cells, including human RBCs. g-toxin: bicomponent toxins, pore-forming. d-toxin: has detergent-like activity. P-V leukocidin: similar to g-toxin in structure, kills WBCs of many animals and release the lysosomal enzymes. Associated with severe pulmonary and cutaneous infections.Pathogenesis and Immunity S. aureus can produce diseases both through invasiveness and production of toxins.
Toxins
Exfoliative (epidermolytic) toxins: proteases that split desmoglein 1 of the intercellular bridges in epidermis; produced by about 5-10% of S. aureus; causes the generalized desquamation of the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS). Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1): superantigen, associates with fever, shock, desquamative skin rash of toxic shock syndrome in humans. Enterotoxins: superantigens, at least 10 (A, B, C1, C2, C3, D, E, G, H, and I) soluble toxins produced by about 50% of S. aureus. Heat-stable (100oC, 30 min.) and resistant to the gastric acid and gut enzymes. Enterotoxins are produced in carbohydrate and protein foods. Causing emesis, a characteristic of staphylococcal food poisoning.
Toxins (continued)
Enzymes
Coagulase: bound and free forms. May deposit fibrin on the surface of staphylococci and alter their ingestion by and destruction within the phagocytic cells (associated with invasiveness). Fibrinolysin (staphylokinase): to dissolve fibrin clot. Catalase: to remove H2O2. Hyaluronidase: to facilitate spread of S. aureus in tissue. Lipase: associated with superficial skin infection. Nuclease: produced only by S. aureus. Penicillinase
Staphylococci can permanently (coagulase-negative strains) or transiently (S. aureus) colonize various areas of the human body, with the anterior nasopharynx as the most common colonization site for S. aureus in older children and adults (30% of healthy adults.) Nasopharyngeal or skin carriers of S. aureus are responsible for many hospital infections. S. aureus can be transmitted through direct personal contact or contact with contaminated fomites. Areas at highest risk for severe infections: new born nursery, ICU, operating rooms and cancer chemotherapy wards.
Epidemiology
Clinical Diseases
Cutaneous infections (folliculitis, e.g., stye and acne; furuncles; carbuncles; impetigo): usually an intense, localized painful inflammatory reaction that undergoes central suppuration and heals quickly when the pus is drained. Carbuncle patients frequently have systemic signs.S. aureus
Wound infections: can occur after surgery or trauma, may involve skin, bone (osteomyelitis from an open fracture) or meninges (meningitis from skull fracture.)
Pronunciation: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=scarlatini&submit=Submit
Pustular impetigo
BackCarbuncle
BackBacteremia Mostly results from surgery or continued use of intravascular catheters. Bacteria may spread to other body sites and cause endocarditis, hematogenous osteomyelitis and septic arthritis, meningitis, and pulmonary infection (hematogenous pneumonia, and empyema.)
Clinical Diseases
Septic embolism
S. aureus (continued)
Aspiration pneumonia caused by S. aureus is seen in very young, very old, cystic fibrosis patients, influenza, etc.
Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS or Ritter disease): forming large bullae (cutaneous blisters) with clear fluid that contains no bacteria or leukocytes. Spreads rapidly. Occurs much more often to neonates and young children.
Clinical Diseases
S. aureus (continued)
Bullous impetigo is a localized form of SSSS. Unlike the disseminated SSSS, the blisters contain the bacteria. Highly communicable
Food poisoning: caused by ingestion of preformed enterotoxin in food (meat and carbohydrates). Short incubation (1-8 hr). Violent nausea, vomiting and watery diarrhea; no fever; rapid convalescence. Staphylococcal enterocolitis occurs in patients who have received broad spectrum antibiotics (antibiotic-associated diarrhea).
Clinical Diseases
Toxic shock syndrome: abrupt onset of high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, scarlatini form rash, desquamation of palms and soles, and hypotension with cardiac and renal failure. This disease has occurred in children injected with contaminated vaccine (1928), and young women who used tampons (1980). This may also occur in children or in men with staphylococcal wound infections (half cases are caused by enterotoxin B and, rarely, enterotoxin C.)
Clinical Diseases
S. epidermidis and other coagulase-negative staphylococciEndocarditis: caused by infection of native (rarely) or prosthetic heart valves. Catheter and shunt infections: a major medical problem, because catheters and shunts are commonly used in critically ill patients. Slime production that causes biofilm formation prevents the bacteria from antibiotics and inflammatory cells. Persistent bacteremia is generally observed. Prosthetic joint infections: localized pain and failure of the artificial joint. Systemic signs are not prominent. Reinfection of new joint is increased in such patients. Urinary tract infections: UTI infection by S. saprophyticus occurs mostly to young, sexually active women.
Laboratory Diagnosis
Specimen: pus, sputum, blood, anterior nasal and perineal swabs, left-over food etc. Smear: except for abscess material, gram stain of the smear is usually not informative. Serology: antibodies against teichoic acid can be detected in patients with staphylococcal endocarditis, but not those with osteomyelitis or wound infection. Elevated antibody titers is an indication for prolonged antibiotic treatment.
Laboratory Diagnosis
Culture: blood agar plates. Use 7.5% NaCl to inhibit contaminants. Mannitol-salt agar can be used as a selective medium for S. aureus. Hemolysis and pigment production may not occur until several days later and are optimal at room temperature. Identification: catalase test; coagulase test. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with a S. aureus-specific DNA probe can be used for identification of this organism in clinical specimens. Various subtyping methods (such as pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) are used for epidemiological purpose.Drug resistance of S. aureus Tetracycline are used for long term treatment of acne or furunculosis. Abscess and other closed suppuration lesions are treated by drainage and antibiotics. Bacteremia, endocarditis, pneumonia and other severe staphylococcal infections: prolonged i.v. therapy with b-lactamase-resistant penicillins (e.g. methicillin, oxacillin, etc.) Vancomycin is the most effective drug against staphylococci, but its use is restricted in most hospitals.
Treatment
Drug resistance of S. aureus1) Resistance to penicillin G, ampicillin, and similar drugs is common.2) Resistance to nafcillin, methicillin and oxacillin MRSA (ORSA): methicillin (oxacillin)-multiresistant S. aureus, resulting from acquisition of mecA, which encodes a novel PBP (PBP2’) that is not bound by b-lactams.MRSA strains are usually also resistant to tetracyclines, erythromycins and aminoglycosides.Remain susceptible to vancomycin. However, many strains have become moderately resistant to vancomycin (called vancomycin-intermediate SA, VISA) and, notably, two vancomycin-resistant strains (VRSA), have been isolated in USA since 2002.
Staphyloxanthin, the carotenoid pigment, acts as an anti-oxidant and helps the bacteria resist killing by the reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as O2–, H2O2 and HOCl, in neutrophils. Bacteria that lack this pigment grow normally, but are deficient in skin abscess formation. New chemotherapy target: staphyloxanthin
Liu GY et al., J. Exp. Med. 202, 209 (2005)
Early enzymatic steps in staphyloxanthin production resemble those for cholesterol biosynthesis. A cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitor blocks staphyloxanthin biosynthesis, resulting in colorless bacteria with diminished virulence that were cleared by the innate immune system
Liu CI et al., Science 319, 1391 (2008)