APPENDIX A

Compendium of Important Bacterial Pathogens of

Humans
Bacillus anthracis (Buh-sil
-us an
-thray-sis).
An aerobic, spore-forming, Gram-positive
bacillus; the etiologic agent of anthrax in
humans, cattle, swine, sheep, rabbits,
guinea pigs, and mice; causes a cutaneous,
respiratory, or gastrointestinal disease, depending on the portal of entry.
Bacteroides (Bak-ter-oy
-dez) species. Anaerobic,
Gram-negative bacilli; common members
of the indigenous microflora of the oral
cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and vagina;
opportunistic pathogens that cause a variety of infections, including appendicitis,
peritonitis, abscesses, and post-surgical
wound infections.
Bordetella pertussis (Bor-duh-tel
-uh per-tus
sis). A fastidious, Gram-negative coccobacillus; the etiologic agent of whooping
cough, which is also called pertussis.
Borrelia burgdorferi (Boh-ree
-lee-uh burgdoor
-fur-eye). A Gram-negative, loosely
coiled spirochete; the etiologic agent of
Lyme disease; transmitted from infected
deer and mice to humans by tick bite.
Campylobacter jejuni (Kam
-pih-low-bak
-ter
juh-ju
-nee). A curved, Gram-negative
bacillus, having a characteristic corkscrewlike motility; often seen in pairs (described
as a gull-wing morphology because a pair of
curved bacilli resembles a bird); microaerophilic and capnophilic; a common
cause of gastroenteritis with malaise, myal-

gia, arthralgia, headache, and cramping abdominal pain.

Chlamydia (Kluh-mid
-ee-uh) species. Pleomorphic, Gram-negative bacteria that are
obligate intracellular pathogens; unable to
grow on artificial media; etiologic agents of
non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), trachoma,
inclusion conjunctivitis, lymphogranuloma
venereum, pneumonia, and psittacosis (ornithosis); different serotypes cause different diseases.
Clostridium botulinum (Klos-trid
-ee-um botyu-ly
-num). An anaerobic, spore-forming,
Gram-positive bacillus; common in soil;
produces a neurotoxin called botulinum
toxin, which causes botulism, a very serious
and sometimes fatal type of food poisoning.
Clostridium difficile (Klos-trid
-ee-um dif
fuh-seal). An anaerobic, spore-forming,
Gram-positive bacillus; it can colonize the
intestinal tract, where overgrowth (superinfection) commonly occurs following ingestion of oral antibiotics; this organism produces two toxinsan enterotoxin that causes
antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and a
cytotoxin that causes pseudomembranous
colitis (PMC); a common cause of nosocomial infections.
Clostridium perfringens (Klos-trid
-ee-um
purr-frin-
jens). An anaerobic, sporeforming, Gram-positive bacillus; common
in feces and soil; the most common cause of

539

540

APPENDIX A

gas gangrene (myonecrosis); produces an

enterotoxin that produces a relatively mild
type of food poisoning.
Clostridium tetani (Klos-trid
-ee-um tet
-aneye). An anaerobic, spore-forming, Grampositive bacillus; common in soil; produces
a neurotoxin called tetanospasmin, which
causes tetanus.
Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Kuh
-ry-neebak-teer
-ee-um dif-thee
-ree-ee). A pleomorphic, Gram-positive bacillus; toxigenic
(toxin-producing) strains cause diphtheria,
whereas non-toxigenic strains do not.
Enterococcus (En-ter-oh-kok
-us) species.
Gram-positive cocci; common members of
the indigenous microflora of the gastrointestinal tract; opportunistic pathogens; a fairly
common cause of cystitis and nosocomial
infections; some strains, called vancomycinresistant enterococci (VRE), are multidrug-resistant.
Escherichia coli (Esh-er-ick
-ee-uh koh
-ly). A
member of the family Enterobacteriaceae; a
Gram-negative bacillus; a facultative anaerobe; a very common member of the indigenous microflora of the colon; an opportunistic pathogen; the most common cause of
septicemia and urinary tract and nosocomial
infections; some serotypes (called the enterovirulent E. coli) are always pathogens.
Francisella tularensis (Fran
-suh-sel-luh tooluh-ren
-sis). A Gram-negative bacillus; the
etiologic agent of tularemia; may enter the
body by inhalation, ingestion, tick bite, or
penetration of broken or unbroken skin; tularemia frequently follows contact with infected animals (e.g., rabbits).
Fusobacterium (Few
-zoh-bak-teer
-ee-um)
species. Anaerobic, Gram-negative bacilli;
common members of the indigenous microflora of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal
tract, and vagina; opportunistic pathogens
that cause a variety of infections, including
oral and respiratory infections.
Haemophilus influenzae (He-mof
-uh-lus influ-en
-zee). A fastidious, Gram-negative
bacillus; a facultative anaerobe; encapsu-

lated; found in low numbers as indigenous

microflora of the upper respiratory tract; an
opportunistic pathogen; a cause of bacterial
meningitis, ear infections, and respiratory
infections, but is not the cause of influenza
(which is caused by influenza viruses);
some strains are ampicillin-resistant.
Helicobacter pylori (Hee
-luh-ko-bak-ter pylor
-ee). A curved, Gram-negative bacillus;
capable of colonizing the stomach; a common cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers.
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kleb-see-el
-uh newmoh
-nee-ee). A member of the family
Enterobacteriaceae; a Gram-negative bacillus; a facultative anaerobe; a common
member of the indigenous microflora of the
colon; an opportunistic pathogen; a fairly
common cause of pneumonia and cystitis.
Lactobacillus (Lak-toh-buh-sil
-us) species.
Gram-positive bacilli; some species are
found in foods (e.g., yogurt, cheese); other
species are common members of the indigenous microflora of the vagina and gastrointestinal tract; rarely pathogenic.
Legionella pneumophila (Lee-juh-nel
-luh newmah
-fill-uh). An aerobic, Gram-negative
bacillus; common in soil and water; the
etiologic agent of legionellosis (a type of
pneumonia); can contaminate water tanks
and pipes; has caused epidemics in hotels,
hospitals, and cruise ships.
Listeria monocytogenes (Lis-teer
-ee-uh monoh-sigh-toj
-uh-nees). A Gram-positive
bacillus; the etiologic agent of listeriosis;
can cause meningitis, encephalitis, septicemia, endocarditis, abortion, and abscesses; enters the body via ingestion of
contaminated foods (e.g., cheese).
Mycobacterium leprae (My
-koh-bak-teer
-eeum lep
-ree). An aerobic, acid-fast, Gramvariable bacillus; referred to as the leprosy
bacillus or Hansens bacillus; the etiologic
agent of leprosy (Hansens disease); transmitted from person to person; has been
found in wild armadillos, which are now
used as laboratory animals to propagate
this organism.

Compendium of Important Bacterial Pathogens of Humans

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (My
-koh-bakteer
-ee-um tu-ber
-kyu-loh
-sis). An acidfast, Gram-variable bacillus; causes tuberculosis; many strains are multidrug-resistant.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae (My
-koh-plaz-muh
new-moh
-nee-ee). A small, pleomorphic,
Gram-negative bacterium; lacks a cell wall;
the etiologic agent of atypical pneumonia.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ny-see
-ree-uh gon-orree
-ee). Also known as gonococcus or GC;
a fastidious, Gram-negative diplococcus;
microaerophilic and capnophilic; always a
pathogen; causes gonorrhea; many strains
are penicillin-resistant.
Neisseria meningitidis (Ny-see
-ree-uh men-injih
-tid-is). Also known as meningococcus;
an aerobic, Gram-negative diplococcus;
found as indigenous microflora of the upper respiratory tract of some people (referred to as carriers); a common cause of
bacterial meningitis; also causes respiratory
infections.
Nocardia (No-kar
-dee-uh) species. Aerobic,
acid-fast, Gram-positive bacilli; the etiologic agents of nocardiosis (a respiratory
disease) and mycetoma (a tumor-like disease, most often involving the feet).
Peptostreptococcus (Pep
-toh-strep-toh-kok
us) species. Anaerobic, Gram-positive
cocci; common members of the indigenous
microflora of the gastrointestinal tract,
vagina, and oral cavity; opportunistic
pathogens that cause a variety of infections,
including abscesses, oral infections, and appendicitis.
Porphyromonas (Porf
-uh-row-mow
-nus)
species. Anaerobic, Gram-negative bacilli;
common members of the indigenous microflora of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract; opportunistic pathogens that
cause a variety of infections, including abscesses, oral infections, and bite wound infections.
Prevotella
(Pree
-voh-tel
-luh)
species.
Anaerobic, Gram-negative bacilli; common
members of the indigenous microflora of
the vagina and gastrointestinal tract; oppor-

541

tunistic pathogens that cause a variety of infections, including abscesses.

Proteus (Pro
-tee-us) species. Members of the
family Enterobacteriaceae; Gram-negative
bacilli; facultative anaerobes; common
members of the indigenous microflora of
the colon; opportunistic pathogens; a fairly
common cause of cystitis.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Su-doh-moh
-nas
air-uj-in-oh
-suh). An aerobic, Gramnegative bacillus; produces a characteristic
blue-green pigment (pyocyanin); has a characteristic fruity odor; causes burn wound,
ear, urinary tract, and respiratory infections; one of the major causes of nosocomial infections; most strains are multidrugresistant and resistant to some disinfectants.
Rickettsia (Rih-ket
-see-uh) species. Gramnegative bacilli that are obligate intracellular
pathogens; unable to grow on artificial media; the etiologic agents of typhus and typhuslike diseases (e.g., Rocky Mountain spotted
fever); all rickettsial diseases are transmitted
by arthropods (ticks, fleas, mites, lice).
Salmonella (Sal
-moh-nel
-uh) species. Members
of the family Enterobacteriaceae; Gramnegative bacilli; facultative anaerobes; a
fairly common cause of food poisoning, especially cases caused by contaminated poultry;
Salmonella typhi is the etiologic agent of typhoid fever.
Shigella (She-gel
-uh) species. Members of the
family Enterobacteriaceae; Gram-negative
bacilli; facultative anaerobes; a major cause
of gastroenteritis and childhood mortality
in the developing nations of the world.
Staphylococcus aureus (Staf
-ih-low-kok
-us
aw
-ree-us). (See the shaded box in Chapter
17 entitled, A Closer Look at Staphylococcus
aureus.)
Streptococcus agalactiae (Strep-toh-kok
-us
ay-guh-lak
-tee-ee). Also known as group
B streptococcus; a beta-hemolytic, Grampositive coccus; often colonizes the vagina;
a frequent cause of neonatal meningitis.
Streptococcus pneumoniae (Strep-toh-kok
-us
new-moh
-nee-ee). (See the shaded box in

542

APPENDIX A

Chapter 17 entitled, A Closer Look at

Streptococcus pneumoniae.)
Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep-toh-kok
-us pyoj
-uh-nees). (See the shaded box in
Chapter 17 entitled, A Closer Look at
Streptococcus pyogenes.)
Treponema pallidum (Trep-oh-nee
-muh pal
luh-dum). A very thin, tightly coiled spirochete; the etiologic agent of syphilis.

Vibrio cholerae (Vib
-ree-oh khol
-er-ee). An

aerobic, curved (comma-shaped), Gramnegative bacillus; halophilic; lives in salt
water; the etiologic agent of cholera.
Yersinia pestis (Yer-sin
-ee-uh pes
-tis). A
Gram-negative bacillus; the etiologic agent
of plague in humans, rodents, and other
mammals; transmitted from rat to rat and
rat to human by the rat flea.