What is unique about Staphylococcus aureus?

Interesting Facts:

The ‘aureus’ is from its golden colour. Many people carry S. aureus and even antibiotic resistant variants such as Methicillin/Multi resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a superbug, on their skin and mucous membranes. Up to 20% of the human population may be a carrier of this bacteria.

What is the characteristic appearance of Staphylococcus in culture?

Cultural characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus

Colonies on solid media are round, smooth, raised, and glistening. S. aureus usually forms gray to deep golden yellow colonies. Mannitol Salt Agar: circular, 2–3 mm in diameter, with a smooth, shiny surface; colonies appear opaque and are often pigmented golden yellow.

How do you identify Staphylococcus aureus?

Coagulase testing is the single most reliable method for identifying Staphylococcus aureus [9]. Coagulase production can be detected using either the slide coagulase test (SCT) or the tube coagulase test (TCT).

What are the characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus that make it able to survive on skin?

The staphylococci

These bacteria have many features that enable them to thrive human skin, a notoriously tough habitat, as they are drought-resistant (xerophilic), salt-resistant (osmotolerant) and can thrive with and without oxygen (facultative anaerobic[1]).

What is the colour of Staphylococcus aureus?

In medical literature, the bacterium is often referred to as S. aureus, Staph aureus or Staph a.. S. aureus appears as staphylococci (grape-like clusters) when viewed through a microscope, and has large, round, golden-yellow colonies, often with hemolysis, when grown on blood agar plates.

What is the texture of Staphylococcus aureus?

Colonies of S. aureus are circular, smooth, convex, moist, 2-3 mm in diameter on uncrowded plates, gray to jet-black, frequently with light-colored (off-white) margin, surrounded by opaque zone and frequently with an outer clear zone; colonies have buttery to gummy consistency when touched with inoculating needle.

What is the main cause of Staphylococcus aureus?

These bacteria are spread by having direct contact with an infected person, by using a contaminated object, or by inhaling infected droplets dispersed by sneezing or coughing. Skin infections are common, but the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream and infect distant organs.

What is the morphology of Staphylococcus aureus?

Microscopic morphology. S. aureus cells are Gram-positive and appear in spherical shape. They are often in clusters resembling bunch of grapes when observed under light microscope after Gram staining.

What is the common name for Staphylococcus aureus?

Staph
Staph is the common name for the bacteria named Staphylococcus aureus. What makes MRSA different from a typical staph infection is its resistance to the antibiotic methicillin and other common antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, oxacillin, and penicillin.

What are the cultural characteristics of streptococcus?

Streptococci are Gram-positive, nonmotile, nonsporeforming, catalase-negative cocci that occur in pairs or chains. Older cultures may lose their Gram-positive character. Most streptococci are facultative anaerobes, and some are obligate (strict) anaerobes. Most require enriched media (blood agar).

What is the morphology of Staphylococcus?

Morphology: Spherical cocci; often forming regular and “grape-like” clusters. They occur singly, in pairs, tetrads, and short chains.

What does Staphylococcus aureus look like on blood agar?

On blood agar, S. aureus usually displays a light to golden yellow pigment, whereas S. epidermidis has a white pigment and S. saprophyticus either a bright yellow or white pigment.

What does Staph look like under a microscope?

Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobe, Gram-positive, nonmotile, non-spore-forming coccus. When looking at this organism under a microscope it appears to be in clusters that look like grapes. The round colonies appear to be golden in color hence the origin of the name aureus in Latin means “golden.”

What are 3 good ways to differentiate Staphylococcus and streptococcus?

Staph does not need enriched media (not fastidious). Strep needs enriched media (fastidious). Staphylococci are found on the skin. Streptococci are found in the respiratory tract.

What is the common name for Staphylococcus aureus?

Staph
Staph is the common name for the bacteria named Staphylococcus aureus. What makes MRSA different from a typical staph infection is its resistance to the antibiotic methicillin and other common antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, oxacillin, and penicillin.

What is the difference between Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus?

Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria. It stains Gram positive and is non-moving small round shaped or non-motile cocci. It is found in grape-like (staphylo-) clusters. This is why it is called Staphylococcus.

Where is Staphylococcus aureus found?

S. aureus is commonly found in the environment (soil, water and air) and is also found in the nose and on the skin of humans. S. aureus is a Gram-positive, non-spore forming spherical bacterium that belongs to the Staphylococcus genus.

How do you identify Streptococcus and Staphylococcus?

The catalase test is important in distinguishing streptococci (catalase-negative) staphylococci which are catalase positive. The test is performed by flooding an agar slant or broth culture with several drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Catalase-positive cultures bubble at once.

What are the three major species of Staphylococcus?

Staph infections are caused by several different types of staph germs, including: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)

What is the main cause of Staphylococcus aureus?

S. aureus is most often spread to others by contaminated hands. The skin and mucous membranes are usually an effective barrier against infection. However, if these barriers are breached (e.g., skin damage due to trauma or mucosal damage due to viral infection) S.

What kills Staphylococcus aureus?

Antibiotics commonly prescribed to treat staph infections include cefazolin, nafcillin, oxacillin, vancomycin, daptomycin and linezolid. For serious staph infections, vancomycin may be required. This is because so many strains of staph bacteria have become resistant to other traditional antibiotics.