Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
A flagellar strain would show peritrichous flagellae for each of the following
organisms except:
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Alcaligenes faecalis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Escherichia coli
Feedback3
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other Pseudomonas species, are motile via a single
polar flagellum. All of the other motile strains listed in this exercise possess
peritrichous flagellae.
The slide coagulase test is a rapid method for identifying which of the following
organisms.
Staphylococcus hominis
Staphylococcus pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Feedback3
Since not all isolates of S. aureus are detected by the slide coagulase test, suspicious
organisms negative by the slide test must be confirmed by the tube coagulase test.
Chryseobacterium is the new genus name for the bacterium formerly called
Flavobacterium meningosepticum, an important agent of neonatal mentingitis. The
biochemical characteristic that is unique for the Family Flavobacteriaceae among the
nonfermenters is:
Feedback1
A patient who was seen in the ED has symptoms consistent with cellulitis. A Gram
stain from the patient's blood culture revealed Gram-positive cocci in pairs and short
chains. Blood cultures grew an organism that was susceptible to a 0.04 unit disk of
bacitracin. Other characteristics one would expect to see are:
Feedback3
C is the correct answer. The major cause of cellulitis is Group A strep (Streptococcus
pyogenes). Because it is susceptible to bacitracin, it should also be beta-hemolytic and
negative in catalase, CAMP, and 6.5% NaCl broth.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Staphylococcus aureus A
Streptococcus milleri (anginosus) B
Viridans streptococcus C
Beta hemolytic streptococcus, group C D
Feedback
Haemophilus parainfluenzae
Haemophilus influenzae
Haemophilus parahaemolyticus
Haemophilus aphrophilus
Feedback2
The development of the red pigment after inoculation with the test organism, as seen
with ultraviolet illumination, on the delta aminolevulinic acid paper disk indicates the
production of protoporphyrin intermediates. Each of the Haemophilus species listed in
this exercise except Haemophilus influenzae, has the capability of synthesizing hemin
from the aminoluvulinic acid substrate and therefore is not X factor dependent.
Haemophilus influenzae is both V and X-factor dependent; therefore, would not have
the capability of producing the fluorescing protoporphyrin intermediates as seen with
this disk test.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
An organism isolated from the spinal fluid of a newborn produced small, grayish,
slightly translucent beta-hemolytic colonies on sheep blood agar. A Gram stain of the
colony showed small gram-positive rods that look like diphtheroids. The organism is
MOST likely:
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Erysipelothrix insidiosa
Listeria monocytogenes
Campylobacter fetus
Bacillus cereus
Feedback3
Listeria monocytogenes can appear as hazy gray colonies with small zone of beta-
hemolysis on sheep blood agar. Gram stain demonstrates small gram positive rods and
coccobacilli, which both tend to have rounded ends; occasionally in pairs and chains.
This morphology is known as "diphtheroid-like". Listeria monocytogenes is a
significant cause of neonatal meningitis.
Feedback4
The bacterial species belonging to the HACEK group can be linked to specific clinical
conditions. Match the names of the bacterial species with the name of its most likely
associated infection.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
Match the names of each of the bacterial species listed with its most likely Gram stain
morphology as illustrated in the photographs.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Corynebacterium species A
Lactobacillus species B
Nocardia species C
Bacillus species D
Feedback
The upper photomicrograph illustrates a gram stain of sputum obtained from a 55 year
old man with symptoms of bacterial pneumonia. The lower photograph represents the
growth of an inoculum from the specimen on 5% sheep blood agar, on which had
been placed an optochin ("P") and a 1 ug oxacilin disk. After 18 hours incubation at
37C in 5% CO2, the zone around the optochin disk is 18mm and around the OX disk
is 8mm. The interpretation is that the organism is most likely:
Feedback
The gram stain shown in the upper frame illustrates many background segmented
neutrophils and many gram positive diplococci typical of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
The high concentration of bacteria in pure culture virtually assures that it is the cause
of the pneumonia. The >14mm zone around the "P" disk confirms the identification as
Streptococcus pneumoniae, and the 8mm zone around the "OX" disk indicates that
this strain is resistant to oxacillin (a zone diameter of less than 19 is considered
resistant), and by extension resistant to penicillin as well. Therefore, "pneumococcus,
penicillin resistant" is the correct response.
Question Difficulty: Level 7
Match each organism listed below with the culture medium from the drop down box
that is used for organism differentiation and/or optimum organism recovery.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
Feedback
Staphylococci are resistant to bacitracin while micrococcus are sensitive. Group A
beta-hemolytic Streptococci are sensitive to bacitracin, while most other Groups are
resistant.
Yersinia
Pasteurella
Salmonella
Klebsiella
Feedback
Match the names or the organisms listed with the bucket indicating whether each is
cryophlic (can grow as low as 4C) or is themophilic (grows at temperatures of 42C
or higher).
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
Of the bacterial species listed in this exercise, Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia
enterocolitica are cryophilic and can grow at refrigerator temperatures. This is one
important implication in that these two organisms are possible infective agents in
cases of transfusion related septicemia as the organisms can survive and replicate at
the storage temperature of blood products. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Campylobacter jejuni have the property that they can grow at 42C, the latter
optimally at the higher temperature requiring a separate incubator if recovery from
clinical specimens is to be maximized.
A 49 year old farmer developed a swelling of the neck beneath the left jaw with
enlargement of the left posterior cervical lymph nodes. The photomicrograph is
representative of a direct gram stain prepared from purulent material aspirated from
one of the enlarged lymph nodes. The organism was not acid fast. The most likely
identification is:
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans
Mycobacterium scrofulaceum
Actinomyces israelii
Bifidobacterium dentium
Feedback
The case description is classic for "lumpy jaw", the most common cause of which is
Actinomyces israelii. The branching, gram positive filaments against a background
sea of neutrophils as seen in the photomicrograph is characteristic of the cell
morphology of this bacterium. Although, as the name indicates, Actinobacillus
actinomycetemcomitans (comatans means "to accompany") is often found in
conjunction with A. israelii, the bacterial cells are gram negative rather than gram
positive, of which there is no evidence here. Mycobacterium scrofulaceum causes
"scrofula", also an infection of the posterior neck area leading to enlargement of
posterior cervical lymph nodes. However, the inflammatory response is more
granulomatous than purulent and the bacterial cells do not branch and are acid fast.
The bacterial cells of Bifidobacterium dentium are gram positive rods that can branch;
however, they are much larger than the filaments of A. israelii and are club-shaped on
the ends, resembling "dog bones". Bifidobacterium species have only rarely been
incriminated in human infections and do not cause "lumpy jaw".
A patient with atypical (reactive) lymphocytes in his peripheral blood smear should be
tested for:
Feedback
Public health guidelines recommend that laboratory specimens for influenza testing be
manipulated using which of the following safety precautions?
Safety goggles
Safety cabinet
Utility gloves
Feedback
A stool from a two-year-old girl grew clear colonies on MacConkey agar, red colonies
on XLD, and green colonies on HE without black centers. It was ornithine positive
and indole negative. It should agglutinate in antisera of which serogroup?
A
B
C
D
Feedback
D is the correct answer since the biochemical results are consistent with Shigella
sonnei that agglutinates in Group D antisera. Shigella Groups A, B, and C are
ornithine negative and usually are indole positive.
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus hominis
Micrococcus luteus
Corynebacterium jeikeium
Feedback
The bacteria seen in this Gram stain are small gram positive cocci that tend to arrange
in distinct tetrads. Tetrad arrangement of gram positive cocci is also characteristic of
Micrococcus luteus; however, the individual cells are much larger than those seen
here. Although Staphylococcus aureus cannot be totally ruled out, the cells have a far
greater propensity to arrange in grape-like clusters, and tetrad formation is less
pronounced than seen here. The bacterial cells of Corynebacterium jeikeium are
distinct short bacilli, that arrange in an Oriental letter pattern. Therefore, the most
likely identification by elimination is Staphylococcus hominus, which does have the
distinct tendency to produce small cells in tetrads as seen here.
Listeria monocytogenes
Streptococcus agalactiae
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Escherichia coli
Feedback
Listeria monocytogenes is the correct answer. The motility agar is showing motility at
the top of the tube, but not deeper; typical of this catalase-positive, gram positive
bacillus. Streptococcus agalactiae would be catalase negative and a coccus.
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae would be H2S-positive and catalase negative.
Escherichia coli is a gram negative bacillus.
Hospital-associated MRSA
Community-associated MRSA
Feedback
Thermostable endonuclease
Deoxyribonuclease
Modified dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) test
Tube coagulase test
Feedback
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is used to react with cell wall constituents to make the
bacterial cell permeable to the diffusion of the oxidase reagent. This test is used to
differentiate members of the genus Micrococcus, which are modified oxidase positive,
from the members of the genus Staphylococcus which, except for rare strains of S.
caseolyticus and S. sciuri, are negative. Therefore, this test does not distinguish S.
aureus from most other staphylococci, all of which are oxidase negative.
Staphylococcus aureus, however, does uniquely produce both deoxyribonuclease and
thermostable endonuclease. Both of these tests use DNase test medium with toluidine
blue O to detect the hydrolysis of DNA by the test organism. The tube coagulase test
also is used to separate S. aureus from other staphylococci, except for rarely
encountered strains of S. hyicus, S. delphini and S. schleiferi, which may also produce
free coagulase.
Which of the following media contains the X and V factors necessary for the growth
of Haemophilus influenzae:
MacConkeys agar
Sheep blood agar
Chocolate agar
Brain-heart infusion agar
Feedback
Chocolate agar contains both the X factor (hemin) and V factor (coenzyme nicotine
adenine dinucleotide) which are necessary for growth of H. influenzae. It is prepared
by adding sheep blood to agar at 80o C to lyse the red cells.
Feedback
Koch's postulates did NOT include the following statement: The isolated organism,
when injected into a human host, will produce the disease.
Mycobacterium marinum
Mycobacterium abscessus (chelonei)
Nocardia otitidiscaviarum (caviae)
Streptomyces somaliensis
Feedback
The outbreak described in the clinical history indeed was caused by Mycobacterium
abscessus, a rapidly growing species in the fortuitum/chelonei complex. As part of an
epidemiological investigation, M. abscessus was recovered from one of the unopened
and three of the opened vials of injection fluid. The pale staining acid fast smear and
rapid growth of smooth, yellow-white colonies are consistent findings. The
identification of the isolates was confirmed biochemically. Mycobacterium marinum
causes subcutaneous infections; however, does not grow at 35C. Nocardia
otitidiscaviarum also causes subcutaneous infections; however, is only partially acid
fast and appears as branching filaments in direct smears. Streptomyces species may
rarely cause subcutaneous infections; however, are not acid fast and also produce
branching filaments.
C-reactive protein:
Feedback
The reactions in the tubes illustrated in this exercise (reading from left to right: KIA,
Pseudosel, OF glucose, closed and open) indicate that the bacterial species in question
is a:
Glucose fermenter
Glucose oxidizer
Lactose fermenter
Glucose nonoxidizer
Feedback
The lack of yellow conversion of either the slant or the deep of the KIA tube or both
indicates that the unknown bacterial species is not a glucose or a lactose fermenter.
The conversion of the open tube to a yellow color in comparison to the closed tube
which remains green, indicates that the bacterial species utilizes glucose oxidatively;
therefore, is a glucose oxidizer. A nonoxidizer would show no yellow pigment in
either the open or closed OF tubes. The production of a green pigment in the
Pseudosel tube identifies this glucose oxidizer as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
A cerebrospinal (CSF) cell count is 1000 cells/L. The cells on differential are
predominantly lymphocytes. CSF protein is moderately elevated and the glucose is
normal. No microorganisms were observed on a Grams stain smear of the CSF
sediment. This condition is MOST likely:
Bacterial meningitis
Viral meningitis
Normal spinal fluid
Tubercular meningitis
Feedback
The test results that are associated with different types of meningitis are summarized
in the table below.
Primarily Moderately
Viral Elevated Normal Normal
lymphocytes elevated
Normal or Moderate to
Lymphocytes
Fungal Elevated slightly marked Elevated
Monocytes
decreased elevation
Moderate to
Lymphocytes
Tubercular Elevated Decreased marked Elevated
Monocytes
elevation
Nocardia farcinica has been distinguished from other members of the Nocardia
asteroides complex because most strains are resistant to erythromycin and other
antibiotics commonly used to treat nocardia infections, and are more commonly
recovered from patients with severe underlying illness. Characteristics that are helpful
in the preliminary identification of this species include:
Feedback
Each of the following bacterial species are commonly associated with wound
infections following a dog bite except:
Staphylococcus intermedius
Bordetella bronchicanis
Pasteurella multicida
Capnocytophaga cyanodegmi
Feedback
Bacteria
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
Malarial parasites
Feedback
For this reason, the inspections of red blood cell units that are done upon receipt of
blood from a supplier, immediately before use, and at defined intervals must include a
check for abnormal appearance. Comparison of bag and segment color should be
performed for red blood cell units to aid in detection of bacterially-contaminated
units. Storing Red Blood Cells above 6oC may promote the growth of bacteria.
Platelets that are stored at 20 - 24oC are a particular concern. It is a requirement that
platelet components be tested to detect the presence of bacteria.
HAV is normally transmitted through the feco-oral route, but rarely can be transmitted
through blood.
The FDA recommends that donors who have a history of malaria be deferred from
donation for 3 years after becoming asymptomatic and for one year following return
from an area where malaria is endemic. The initial interview of donors has made the
transmission of malarial parasites through blood transfusion a rarity.
What two glycoproteins are expressed on the surface of influenza A viruses and are
used for subtyping of the viruses?
Hemagglutinin
Glycoprotein120 (gp120)
Glycoprotein41 (gp41)
Neuraminidase
Feedback
Influenza A viruses are subtyped based on two glycoprotein spikes expressed on their
surfaces:
1) Hemagglutinin (HA)
2) Neuraminidase (NA)
Gp120 and gp41 are associated with the human immunodeficiency virus.
An 18-year-old woman woke up in the morning to find that her left knee was hot,
swollen, and very painful. She could not walk to work and a friend offered her a ride
to the clinic. She had never had a swollen joint before. Physical exam revealed a
tender knee joint which yielded purulent synovial fluid on aspiration. Gram-negative
intracellular diplococci were seen on Gram stain. She also had a cervical discharge
that was cultured. The cause of her infection would grow best on:
Feedback
Modified Thayer Martin agar at 35C with CO2 is the correct answer. This is a typical
presentation of systemic gonorrhea and Neisseria gonorrhea grows best on MTM
medium at 35C. under CO2. Systemic gonorrhea occurs in 1% of cases and results in
purulent arthritis and rarely septicemia.
Feedback
This is a trick question (or maybe a trick answer). The recovery of C. difficile in stool
specimens by itself is insufficient to establish a diagnosis of C. difficile-associated
colitis. Rather, it is also necessary to demonstrate that the strain recovered is a toxin-
producing. A positive reaction for all of the other tests listed in this exercise confirm
the diagnosis of C. difficile disease when pseudomembranous colitis as demonstrated
in the photomicrograph of the biopsy. All tests have some chance for either false
positive or false negative results and careful clinical and histopathological correlation
is needed before a causal relationship can be demonstrated.
Feedback
The oropharynx is thought to be the source in most cases of viridans streptococcus
septicemia, secondary to either poor oral hygiene or periodontal disease
(Watanakunikorn and Pantelakis, Scand J Infect Dis 25:403-408, 1993). Viridans
streptococci cause urinary tract infections extremely rarely and therefore would not be
involved in any such infections secondary to outflow obstruction from prostatic
hypertrophy. Viridans streptococci also are infrequent agents of pulmonary infections
and do not often infect indwelling catheters. Therefore, the "most likely" answer in
this exercise is poor oral hygiene.
Match each of the most likely primary sites of infection listed with the corresponding
bacterial agents as represented by the microscopic Gram stain morphology of the four
images included in the photograph.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Meningitis (adult) A
Pneumonia B
Cutaneous cellulitis C
Retropharyngeal abscess D
Feedback
Within the context of this exercise and the selection of the bacterial cell morphologies
represented by the photomicrographs, the most likely cause of pneumonia would be
the gram positive diplococci shown in Frame B, representative of S. pneumoniae.
Although meningitis can be caused by gram negative bacilli, this infection in adults is
more likely to be caused by Neisseria species, as represented by the gram negative
diplococci illustrated in Frame A. Of the bacterial species shown in the
photomicrographs, cellulitis would most likely be caused by streptococci, illustrated
by the long chains of gram positive cocci seen in Frame C. Of the choices in this
exercise, a retropharyngeal abscess would most likely be caused by one of the gram
positive filamentous bacteria representing either Actinomyces species or Nocardia
species, as illustrated in Frame D.
A 42 year old chain smoker experienced an increase in cough, sputum production and
intermittent shortness of breath for over one week. A diagnosis of chronic bronchitis
with acute exacerbation was made. The photomicrograph is a gram stain of an early
morning, spontaneously expectorated sputum. Based on the gram stain, the most
likely cause of the exacerbation is:
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Haemophilus influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Feedback
The gram stain reveals a few segmented neutrophils indicating an active infectious
process. Many gram negative organisms are present. The individual cells are short,
coccobacillary, with a few slender, elongated pleomorphic forms seen. Of the bacterial
species listed, this pleomorphism is most consistent with Haemophilus influenzae,
although Bordetella bronchiseptica cannot be totally ruled out. The latter is a bacterial
species that inhabits the respiratory tract of dogs, cats and other domestic animals and
human infections are relatively rare. Therefore, on the basis that H. influenzae is
indigenous in humans, it is more likely related to chronic bronchitis. Moraxella
catarrhalis is commonly associated with chronic bronchitis; however, the bacterial
cells are distinctly coccoid and tend to occur in pairs. Klebsiella pneumoniae is more
likely to be associated with lobar pneumonia, and produce regular, short broad bacilli
rather than the tiny, coccobacilli seen here.
The preliminary identification of bacterial species often is made based on the odor
produced by colonies recovered on primary isolation media. Match the names of the
bacterial species with its corresponding odor.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
Group A Streptococcus
Group B Streptococcus
Group D Streptococcus
Staphylococci
Feedback
Illustrated in this photograph is the surface of a thiosulfate citrate bile sucrose (TCBS)
agar plate on which are growing colonies of an unknown bacterial species from a
diarrheal stool specimen. The most likely identification is:
Vibrio cholerae
Vibro parahemolyticus
Plesiomonas shigelloides
Vibrio vulnificus
Feedback
Thiosulfate citrate bile sucrose agar is helpful in the recovery of Vibrio species from
stool specimens. The citrate inhibits the growth of E.coli and other enteric gram
negative rods that may overgrow the culture; the bile inhibits the growth of most gram
positive bacteria. Of the species listed, only Vibrio cholerae ferments sucrose,
resulting in the yellow, acid pH colonies. Bacterial species that can grow on TCBS
agar but that do not ferment sucrose are semitransparent and will appear green.
Feedback
The only choice in the question which is not one of Koch's postulates is:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Yersinia pestis
Vibrio cholerae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Feedback
The word quarantine derives from the Italian word quaranta, referring to the period of
the 40 day maritime restraint imposed by the port of Venice for ships embarking from
areas endemic for bubonic plague. Yersinia pestis is transmitted from infected rats and
other rodents to humans by the bite of rat fleas. Infected fleas die within 40 days;
therefore, by holding ships at bay for 40 days or more by these 15th Century policies,
transmission of the plague could be prevented, although the administrators of the time
did not know why. Although transmission of tuberculosis can be prevented by
respiratory isolation, the disease is long standing and obviously 40 days is insufficient
to prevent disease transfer. Transmission of Vibrio cholerae was also diminished
during periods of endemic cholera through quarantine of ships, primarily because the
acutely ill died during the period of quarantine, reducing the time they could
contaminate domestic water supplies. Transmission of diphtheria may also be reduced
during quarantine as many of those acutely ill may die before deportation. However,
in the contest of this exercise, Y. pestis is considered the best answer.
Match the organisms on the right with the culture media that bests suits their
growth/identification.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
This isolate is a catalase negative, gram positive coccus on sheep blood agar. The P
disk has 5g of optochin and the zone around it is 16 mm. It has been streaked
perpendicular to a beta lysine-producing Staphylococcus aureus. The presumptive
identification is:
The correct answer is highlighted below
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus agalactiae
Streptococcus pyogenes
Viridans streptococcus
Feedback
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the correct answer since it is CAMP test negative, alpha-
hemolytic and susceptible to optochin. Streptococcus agalactiae is usually beta-
hemolytic but would be CAMP positive as indicated by an arrowhead where the
isolate is perpendicular to beta-lysin producing Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococcus
pyogenes would be beta hemolytic and resistant to optochin. Viridans streptococcus
would be resistant to optochin.
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Neisseria meningitidis A
Neisseria gonorrhoeae B
Moraxella catarrhalis C
Neisseria lactamica D
Feedback
The carbohydrate utilization profiles of the Neisseria species listed in this exercise
and as reflected in the photographs are: Neisseria lactamica, glucose, maltose and
lactose (Frame D); Moraxella catarrhalis, no reactions (Frame C); Neisseria
gonorrhoeae, glucose only (Frame B); and, Neisseria meningitidis, glucose, maltose,
and sucrose only (Frame A).
budding
tapered
filamentous
rounded
Feedback
When describing rod-shaped bacteria, the terms "rounded ends" or "tapered ends"
may help to identify the type of bacteria present. The term budding frequently
describes yeast, but not rod-shaped bacteria. Filamentous may describe the
appearance of certain bacteria such as Nocardia, but is not used to describe the ends of
rod-shaped bacteria.
Serratia marcescens
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Alcaligenes odorans
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Feedback
Catalase- positive
Novobiocin- susceptible
Feedback
Report the isolate as coagulase negative Staphylococcus is the correct answer because
this is an isolate from a urine specimen with a coagulase negative Staphylococcus
susceptible to novobiocin. Staphylococcus saprophyticus is resistant to novobiocin.
Further testing is required to speciate coagulase negative Staphylococci but only if the
specimen is from a sterile body site, not urine.
Feedback
Although the cell cytotoxicity assay is considered a gold standard method for
detection of C. difficile, it is labor intensive and requires at least 48 hours incubation.
Culture on selective media provides good recovery of the organism, but may requires
up to 4 days for recovery, and also entails follow up testing to determine toxin
producing capability of each strain. The GDH antigen assay, assays for the detection
of toxins A and B, and PCR provide better avenues for rapid detection, although they
differ greatly in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive
values.
Escherichia
Enterobactor
Serratia
Neisseria
Feedback
Any organism which is oxidase positive can be excluded from the Enterobacteriaceae.
Feedback
Positive for nitrogen gas and negative for nitrite production is the correct answer
because the nitrate to nitrite result was negative but when zinc dust was added, no
color developed. This demonstrated that no nitrate is left in the tube to be reduced;
therefore, nitrogen gas must have been produced from the nitrate.
Sheeps blood agar is least suitable for the growth of which of the following
organisms?
Haemophilus influenzae
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus species
Feedback
Conventional sheep blood agar is not suitable for recovery of Haemophilus species.
Enzymes in native sheep blood inactivate V factor, which is required for growth of
Haemophilus species such as Haemophilus influenzae. If the agar medium is
supplemented with rabbit or horse blood, Haemophilus species will grow as rabbit or
horse blood does not contain these enzymes. Selective Haemophilus isolation media is
available: these contain beef heart infusion, peptones, yeast extract (provides V
Factor), and defibrinated horse blood (provides X Factor, which is also required for
growth of Haemophilus influenza).
Staphylococcus aureus grows rapidly on sheep blood agar. Streptococcus species also
grow on sheep blood agar. Sheep blood is used as the indicator for hemolysis.
Observation and interpretation of the hemolytic properities of streptococci helps to
determine subsequent tests for species identification.
Acute obstructive epiglottitis, both in adults and children, is caused by the bacterial
species shown in this split screen photograph. The colonies recovered on chocolate
agar (upper frame) required both hematin and NAD, (as shown by colony growth only
between the X and V strips in the lower frame). The most likely identification is:
Haemophilus parainfluenzae
Haemophilus influenzae
Haemophilus aphrophilus
Haemophilus haemolyticus
Feedback
Haemophilus influenzae is both X and V factor dependent for growth, and is the most
common cause of obstructive laryngitis and epiglottitis. H. parainfluenzae is only V-
factor dependent and causes only mild pharyngitis, rarely obstructive in nature. H.
aphrophilus can be part of the normal upper respiratory flora in humans, does not
cause pharyngitis, and is not X or V-factor dependent for growth. Although H.
haemolyticus is both X and V-factor dependent, it is beta hemolytic on blood agar and
is generally considered non pathogenic.
True
False
Feedback
Citrobacter
Salmonella
Proteus
Edwardsiella
Feedback
The production of H2S, utilization of citrate and the decarboxylation of all three
amino acids included in the strip, provide for a presumptive identification of
Salmonella species. The beginning three biotype numbers (670) as listed in the API
profile index all point to Salmonella species, with the remaining reactions in the strip
differentiating between the various subgroups. All of other species listed in this
exercise produce H2S; however, none decarboxylate all three of the amino acids as
seen in this profile. Proteus species would also give positive reactions for urease and
TDA, both of which are negative in this strip. Most strains of Edwardsiella species
also are indole positive.
Each of the following bacterial species have the common characteristic of the failure
to decarboxylate lysine, ornithine and arginine except:
The correct answer is highlighted below
Pantoa agglomerans
Ewingella americana
Yersinia enterocolitica
Providencia stuartii
Feedback
==========================================================
Your answers are on the left. The correct answers are on the right and highlighted.
Feedback
Streptococcus pyogenes is the species name for group A streptococci, which are beta
hemolytic. Streptococcus agalactiae is the species name for group B streptococci,
which are also beta hemolytic. Streptococcus salivarius is one of the viridans
streptococci, which are characteristically alpha hemolytic. Streptococcus pneumoniae
also produces alpha hemolysis on 5% sheep blood agar.