What are the two most common causes of skin and soft tissue infections as they appear on a Gram stain?
–> Each have thick murein layers, thus the Gram+ stain
What are the 3 sources of skin and soft tissue infections?
What are the most frequent transient skin flora found on humans?
What are the most frequent resident skin flora found on humans?
What types of skin and soft tissue infections are often caused by staphylococci?
Folliculitis
Carbuncles, furuncles
Impetigo
Cellulitis
What types of skin and soft tissue infections are often caused by streptococci?
Impetigo
Erysipelas
Cellulitis
Synergistic cellulitis
necrotizing fasciitis
What are the characteristics of pyogenic cocci?
Streptococci are:
Invasive
Produce purulent lesions
obligate extracelluar bacteria
have anti-phagocytic virulence factors
Facultative anaerobes (live w/ or w/o oxygen)
What diagnostic criteria need to be met to confirm streptococci infection?
What diagnostic criteria is used to classify streptococci?
What are the three hemolytic patterns found around streptococcal blood agar colonies?
What kind of hemolytic pattern does Group A strep (S. pyogenes) have?
beta-hemolysis: complete hemolysis
What are diagnostic characteristics of Group A strep?
Group A strep = Strep. pyogenes:
Describe the rapid test used to detect Streptococci bacteria in a patient.
Control antigen and test capture antibody are fixed to test strip.
Gold-labeled (red) antibody is diffuse and not fixed to paper.
Paper is dipped in specipen w/suspect antigen and if capture antibody and control antigen show, test is positive
What are virulence factors for S. pyogenes (Group A Strep)?
M Protein
Hyaluronic acid capsule
Pyrogenic exotoxins
Streptolysin O
DNAases
Streptokinase
C5a peptidase
What are components of the streptococcal cell wall?

What is M protein?
A virulence factor of Group A Streptococci:
Involved in binding to epidermis and is anti-phagocytic.
Why are vaccines to M proteins dangerous?
If vaccine was not thoroughly screened, it could lead to autoimmunity to those vaccinated b/c of M proteins molecular mimicry of host components
What is a hyaluronic acid capsule?
Group A Strep virulence factor:
identical to component in normal tissue, anti-phagocytic, antibody to capsule not protective to host
What is pyrogenic exotoxins?
Virulence factor of Group A Strep:
How do superantigens work?
Bind TCR to MHC; no specific peptid required
What is streptolysin O?
Virulence factor for Group A Strep (S. pyogenes):
What are DNAases?
Strep. pyogenes (Group A strep) virulence factor:
What is streptokinase?
Group A Strep (S. pyogenes) virulence factor:
What are clinical presentations of suppurative streptococcal disease?
-Pharyngitis (uncommonly w/Scarlet Fever)