21

Important Bacterial
Pathogens and the
Diseases
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BACTERIAL PATHOGENS AND RELATED DISEASES

Organism Morphology Important diseases

Gram Positive Cocci
Staphylococcus Cocci in groups Boils, abscesses, secondary
aureus infections bacteraemia,
pneumonia, meningitis,
conjunctivitis in newborns,
food-poisoning
Staphylococcus Cocci in groups Urinary tract infections
saprophyticus
Streptococcus Cocci in chains Sore throat, scarlet fever,
pyogenes bacteraemia, otitis media,
(Group A meningitis, cellulitis, puerperal
Streptococcus) sepsis. Post-Streptococcal
glomerulonephritis, and
rheumatic fever leading to
heart disease
Contd...
 Important Bacterial Pathogens and the Diseases 89

Contd...
Viridans Streptococci Cocci in chains Bacterial endocarditis,
bacteraemia, tooth decay,
abscesses.
Streptococcus Capsulated Meningitis, lobar pneumonia,
pneumoniae diplococci otitis media, pleurisity
(Diplococcus
pneumoniae)
Streptococcus Cocci in chains Urinary tract infections, wound
faecalis and pairs and ulcer infections,
(Group D septicaemia
Streptococci)
Streptococcus Cocci in chains Septicaemia, Pneumonia,
agalactiae and pairs neonatal meningitis
(Group B
Streptococcus)
Gram Positive Bacilli
Bacillus anthracis Large, spore Anthrax
forming,
capsulated,
bacilli which
tend to form
chains
Corynebacterium Pleomorphic, Diphtheria of the throat and
diphtheriae non-motile rods, skin
often seen joined
at angles
Listeria Small rods with Meningitis, still-birth,
monocytogenes tumbling motility bacteraemia
at low
temperatures
Clostridium Non-motile Severe food-poisoning
botulinum pleomorphic rods,
with oval
subterminal spores
Contd...
90 Practical Manual of Medical Microbiology

Contd...
Clostridium tetani Non-motile, long Tetanus
(Drum-stick bacillus) thin rods with
oval subterminal
spores
Clostridium Non-motile, thick,
perfringens brick-shaped rods,
(Clostridium welchii) Spores are rarely Gas gangrene, septicaemia,
seen food poisoning
Clostridium difficile Non-motile, thick, Antibiotic-associated
brick-shaped rods, diarrhoea and colitis
Spores are rarely
seen
Gram Negative Rods
Haemophilus Small, non-motile Acute respiratory infections,
influenzae coccobacilli or meningitis, cellulitis,
rods, pleomorphic, ear infections
Usually capsulated
Haemophilus Small, non-motile Infectious conjunctivitis
aegyptius rods or cocco (pink-eye), respiratory
bacilli infections.
Haemophilus Small, non-motile Soft chancre
ducreyi rods often in pairs (Chancroid)
or chains
Bordetella pertussis Small, non-motile Whooping cough
coccobacilli, may
be capsulated
Brucella species Small, non-motile Brucellosis
coccobacilli may (undulant fever)
show bipolar
staining
Yersinia pestis Non-motile, Bubonic, septicaemic
capsulated and pneumonic
cocco-bacilli, plague
showing bipolar
staining
Contd...
 Important Bacterial Pathogens and the Diseases 91

Contd...
Yersinia Motile Acute mesenteric
pseudotuberculosis pleomorphic lymphadenitis, septicaemia
rods or cocco-
bacilli showing
bipolar staining
Yersinia Motile Gastroenteritis, peritonitis,
enterocolitica pleomorphic bacteraemia, abscesses
rods or cocco
bacilli showing
bipolar staining
Francisella tularensis Small, non-motile, Skin infections,
capsulated, lymphadenitis, eye
pleomorphic rods infections, lymphoid-like
or coccobacilli, illness, and respiratory
showing bipolar infections.
staining
Bacteroides species Non-motile small Bedsores, abscesses,
pleomorphic rods abdominal and pelvic
infections, bacteraemia
Escherichia coli Motile rods Urinary infections, wound
infections, bacteraemia,
gastroenteritis
Klebsiella Non-motile Chest infections, urinary
pneumoniae capsulated rods infections, wound infections
bacteraemia, meningitis,
endocarditis
Klebsiella rhino- Non-motile Rhinoscleroma of the upper
scleromatis capsulated rods, respiratory tract
with foam cells
Proteus species Motile rods Urinary infection, respiratory
infections, ear and wound
infectinos, burns infections
(often hospital-acquired),
septicaemia
Pseudomonas Motile rods Melioidosis
pseudomallei showing bipolar (pneumoenteritis)
staining
Contd...
92 Practical Manual of Medical Microbiology

Contd...
Shigella species Non-motile rods Bacillary dysentery
Salmonella species Motile rods Enteric fever (typhoid and
paratyphoid), food-poisoning,
septicaemia, meningtis, bone
infections, abscesses
Vibrio cholerae Motile, slightly Cholera
curved rods
Vibrio parahae- Motile, slightly Gastroenteritis
molyticus curved rods
Campylobacter Motile, curved Gastroenteritis
jejuni/coli spiral rods
Legionella Non-motile rods Severe pneumonia
pneumophila
Gram Negative Cocci
Neisseria Intracellular Meningitis and
meningitidis diplococci septicaemia
Neisseria Intracellular Gonorrhoea, eye infection in
gonorrhoeae diplococci newborns
Acid Fast Bacilli
Mycobacterium Non-motile Tuberculosis
tuberculosis bacilli
Mycobacterium Non-motile Skin ulcers (Buruli ulcer)
ulcerans bacilli
Mycobacterium Non-moitle bacilli Leprosy
leprae often in groups
(globi)
Spirochaetes and Other Organisms
Treponema Motile delicate Syphilis
pallidum1 treponemes
Treponema Motile delicate Yaws
pertenue1 treponemes
Contd...
 Important Bacterial Pathogens and the Diseases 93

Contd...
Treponema Motile delicate Pinta
carateum1 treponemes
Leptospira Motile thin Epidemic spirochaetal jaundice
interrogans1 leptospires with (leptospirosis
hooked ends iceterohaemorrhagica), Weil’s
disease, Canicola fever
Borrelia vincenti2 Motile borreliae Associated with Vincent’s
(Gram negative) angina (Trench mouth), and
tropical ulcer
Borrelia duttoni2 Motile borreliae Tick-borne relapsing fever
Borrelia recurrentis2 Motile borreliae Louse-borne relapsing fever
Spirillum minus2 Motile, small, Rat bite fever (Sodoku)
rigid spirals with
flagella
Bartonella Rod-shaped Oroya fever (Carrion’s
bacilliformis2 organisms found disease), Verrugaperuana
in red cells and
reticuloendothelial
cells
Rickettsia species3 Intracellular Typhus fevers (epidemic and
organisms just endemic), trench fever,
visible with the Q fever
light microscope
Chlamydia species4 Inclusion bodies Trachoma, inclusion
in epithelial cells conjunctivitis,
lymphogranuloma venereum,
non-gonococcal urethritis
Calymmatobacterium Small pleomorphic Granulomatous disease
granulomatis rods found inside (Granuloma venereum)
(Donovania mononuclear cells
granulomatis)2
94 Practical Manual of Medical Microbiology

Notes:
1. Treponemes and Leptospires are best seen using dark-field microscopy.
2. Borrelia, Bartonella, and Calymmatobacterium species are best seen in
Giemsa stained preparations. Spirillum minus is Gram negative but
can also be stained using Giemsa.
3. Rickettsiae can be stained using Giemsa stain but it is usual to diagnose
rickettsial infections serologically.
4. Chlamydiae can be seen in Giemsa and iodine stained preparations.