CAUSATIVE AGENT
REMARKS
SPECIES
IDENTIFICATION
GROUP
GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI
Alpha hemolytic
Streptococcus pneumonia
Lobar pneumonia, meningitis
Produces exotoxin
Beta hemolytic
Streptococcus pyogenes
Impetigo, septic sore throat,
causing skin rash
scarlet fever
Produces exotoxin
Staphylococcus aureus
Upper respiratory infections,
causing food
boils, surgical infections,
poisoning
food poisoning, toxic shock
syndrome
GRAM-NEGATIVE COCCI
Neisseria gonorrhea
Gonorrhea. gonorrheal
Kidney-shaped
conjunctivitis
diplococcic
Neisseria meningitidis
Kidney-shaped
Epidemic cerebrospinal
diplococcic
meningitis
GRAM-POSITIVE BACILLI
Corynebacterium
Diphtheria
Produces powerful
Aerobic
diphtheriae
exotoxin causing
inflammation of
mucosa and
impairment of
vital organs
Aerobic. spore-forming
Bacillus anthracis
Anthrax (Chiefly in herbivorous
Forms a capsule
animals,but also in man)
Aerobic. acid-fast
Mycobacterium
Tuberculosis (man)
tuberculosis
M. bovis
Tuberculosis (cattle and man)
M. leprae
Leprosy (Hansen's Disease)
Anaerobic, spore-forming
Clostridium botulinum
Food poisoning
Produces powerful,
lethal exotoxin
C. tetan1
Tetanus (lockjaw)
Produces powerful,
C. perfringens
Gas gangrene, food poisoning
lethal exotoxin
GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI
Escherichia coli
Traveler's diarrhea,
Many of these and
urinary tract infection
other species are
part of the normal
flora of the adult
intestinal tract,
but pathogenic
when introduced
into other parts of
the body
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Burn wound infection
Pneumonia
Klebsiella pneumonia
Diarrhea
Yersinia enterocolitica
Typhoid fever
Salmonella typhi
Paratyphoid fever
S. paratyphi
Salmonella enteritidis
Acute gastroenteritis (Sal-
moneliosis-"food poisoning")
(many serotypes)
Also produces a
Shigella dysenteriae'
paralytic exotoxin
Bacillary dysentery
Shigella spp
Table 2-2. Pathogenic bacteria of public health importance. (continued)
MD0151
2-15