Chapter 20: Gram – Bacilli Review
Remember that since these are all Gram -, we do have the addition of endotoxins to
exotoxins and exoenzymes. All have outer membrane lipopolysaccharide of the cell
wall – endotoxin.
1. What are a couple examples of where I Wide range of habitants – zoonotic, respiratory, soil,
would find gram – bacilli? water
2. Do any of these form endospores? No, they are non-spore-forming bacteria
3. Are they all true pathogens? Yes or no No, sometimes they are true pathogen and sometimes
they are opportunistic pathogens
Includes:
Pseudomonas and Burkholderia – opportunistic pathogens
Brucella and Francisella – zoonotic pathogens
Bordetella and Legionella – mainly human pathogens
Pseudomonas: The Pseudomonads
4. Are the Pseudomonads motile? Yes, due to their single polar flagellum.
5. Can pseudomonas be a problem in Yes, they are free living bacteria and frequent
standard households? contaminants in homes.
6. Are pseudomonas coliforms? No, they aren’t coliform (lactose fermenters)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
7. Where would I find pseudomonas Common habitant of soil and water
aeruginosa?
8. What household product did I say could Loofa sponges
aid in causing a skin infection? You may
sit these out in the sun to treat the
bacteria or simply replace them
throughout the year.
9. Are they a problem with respiratory Yes, frequent contaminant of ventilators, IV solutions,
equipment in the hospitals? anesthesia equipment
10. Can they cause nosocomial infections? Yes, they are commonly cause of nosocomial infections
in hosts with burns, pneumonia (cystic fibrous), UT.
11. What kind of infections are seen in In healthy individuals, it commonly causes:
healthy individuals? Rash, UTI, external ear infections, form hot tubs
or swimming pools.
Folliculitis
, 12. What odor is given off? ---- think Kool- Grapelike odor
aide even if you don’t believe me!
13. What pigment is produced? What color greenish-blue pigment (pyocyanin)
is it? Some of you have used this
repeatedly in lab.
14. Is it easy to treat with drugs? No, it is multidrug resistant and also resistant to soaps,
dyes, quaternary ammonium disinfectants, and drying.
Brucella and Brucellosis – zoonotic pathogens
15. Know the species common to cattle, Cattle: Brucella abortus
pigs, and the species that causes human Pigs: Brucella suis
brucellosis. Goats and sheep: Brucella melitensis – most
pathogenic in humans.
(All species cause brucellosis, a zoonosis transmitted to
human from infected animals)
Another name for brucellosis: Malta Fever, Undulant
fever, or Bang disease
16. How is it transmitted? Human to
Human/human to animal / animal to Animal to human
human
17. What is the characteristic symptom? Initial symptoms are Fever; chills and sweating,
What causes this? headache, myalgia (muscle-ache), weight loss.
Persisting symptoms are undulant fever (comes
and goes weeks to year); swelling of testes,
scrotum, heart, liver, and spleen.
Occur due to the release of endotoxin by the
bacteria
18. What is one way of preventing zoonotic Cook meat correctly and ingesting only pasteurized
diseases? food/dairy products.
19. How is the bacterium specifically 19. Transmissions can be in varied ways:
transmitted to humans? Ingestion of undercooked meat or
20. Which is most common? unpasteurized/raw dairy products
Inhalation of bacteria
Through Skin wounds; the breaks in mucous
membranes of digestive tract and conjunctiva
20. Ingestion of undercooked meat or
unpasteurized/raw dairy products is the most common
and concerned.
Remember that since these are all Gram -, we do have the addition of endotoxins to
exotoxins and exoenzymes. All have outer membrane lipopolysaccharide of the cell
wall – endotoxin.
1. What are a couple examples of where I Wide range of habitants – zoonotic, respiratory, soil,
would find gram – bacilli? water
2. Do any of these form endospores? No, they are non-spore-forming bacteria
3. Are they all true pathogens? Yes or no No, sometimes they are true pathogen and sometimes
they are opportunistic pathogens
Includes:
Pseudomonas and Burkholderia – opportunistic pathogens
Brucella and Francisella – zoonotic pathogens
Bordetella and Legionella – mainly human pathogens
Pseudomonas: The Pseudomonads
4. Are the Pseudomonads motile? Yes, due to their single polar flagellum.
5. Can pseudomonas be a problem in Yes, they are free living bacteria and frequent
standard households? contaminants in homes.
6. Are pseudomonas coliforms? No, they aren’t coliform (lactose fermenters)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
7. Where would I find pseudomonas Common habitant of soil and water
aeruginosa?
8. What household product did I say could Loofa sponges
aid in causing a skin infection? You may
sit these out in the sun to treat the
bacteria or simply replace them
throughout the year.
9. Are they a problem with respiratory Yes, frequent contaminant of ventilators, IV solutions,
equipment in the hospitals? anesthesia equipment
10. Can they cause nosocomial infections? Yes, they are commonly cause of nosocomial infections
in hosts with burns, pneumonia (cystic fibrous), UT.
11. What kind of infections are seen in In healthy individuals, it commonly causes:
healthy individuals? Rash, UTI, external ear infections, form hot tubs
or swimming pools.
Folliculitis
, 12. What odor is given off? ---- think Kool- Grapelike odor
aide even if you don’t believe me!
13. What pigment is produced? What color greenish-blue pigment (pyocyanin)
is it? Some of you have used this
repeatedly in lab.
14. Is it easy to treat with drugs? No, it is multidrug resistant and also resistant to soaps,
dyes, quaternary ammonium disinfectants, and drying.
Brucella and Brucellosis – zoonotic pathogens
15. Know the species common to cattle, Cattle: Brucella abortus
pigs, and the species that causes human Pigs: Brucella suis
brucellosis. Goats and sheep: Brucella melitensis – most
pathogenic in humans.
(All species cause brucellosis, a zoonosis transmitted to
human from infected animals)
Another name for brucellosis: Malta Fever, Undulant
fever, or Bang disease
16. How is it transmitted? Human to
Human/human to animal / animal to Animal to human
human
17. What is the characteristic symptom? Initial symptoms are Fever; chills and sweating,
What causes this? headache, myalgia (muscle-ache), weight loss.
Persisting symptoms are undulant fever (comes
and goes weeks to year); swelling of testes,
scrotum, heart, liver, and spleen.
Occur due to the release of endotoxin by the
bacteria
18. What is one way of preventing zoonotic Cook meat correctly and ingesting only pasteurized
diseases? food/dairy products.
19. How is the bacterium specifically 19. Transmissions can be in varied ways:
transmitted to humans? Ingestion of undercooked meat or
20. Which is most common? unpasteurized/raw dairy products
Inhalation of bacteria
Through Skin wounds; the breaks in mucous
membranes of digestive tract and conjunctiva
20. Ingestion of undercooked meat or
unpasteurized/raw dairy products is the most common
and concerned.
