Streptococcus what is it? The types of streptococci

Many have heard about the existence of streptococcal infection and even came across it. But few seriously thought, what is Streptococcus what is it? But the knowledge of the life and activities of the enemy-is half the victory. Streptococci involved in science Microbiology. In it, as in any other field of knowledge, many difficult and obscure terms. In this article we try accessible language to talk about what the threat strep what it is, and whether you need to deal with it and methods used in therapy.

“Portrait” parasite

The Man every day and every moment is faced by thousands of microorganisms that can be seen only under a microscope. Bright representative of this vast army of parasites is and Streptococcus. What it is, and maybe who? What type of living beings to bring it? Let's start in order.

Streptococcus-this bacteria, which has the form of microscopic beads with a radius of up to 0.5 microns. The ball – that is one bacterial cell and a whole organism. Keep streptococci pairs of two or groups connected to the chain. They are absolutely fixed, because it has neither cilia nor tails or flagella. Move only with the help of outside interference, for example, by coughing with flow of air. Once in a new environment, the bacterium Streptococcus almost immediately starts to multiply. It does this by simple cell division. The structure of her cells is that they are able to form so-called L-form (i.e., almost no cell wall). This clever property offers easy maneuverability of the pathogen through bacterial filters, and very small sensitivity to drugs. To better “meet” this is representative of the world of microorganisms as Streptococcus (which it is, we've already discussed), we list its physical characteristics. So, these parasites are:

Recommended

A tablet from worms – the relevance of the application for the person

How relevant today, drugs against worms in humans? What kind of creatures these worms, what are modern methods of treatment? We will try to answer these questions, since ignorance in this area is undesirable. Imagine a mummy, which is misleading in k...

What to do if you cracked skin on hands?

Each of us at least once in a lifetime encounter with a small, but very, when the crack the skin on the hands. At this time there are wounds of different sizes, which hurt and cause inconvenience, especially when in contact with water or detergents. ...

Spray Macho man - the key to a proper relationship between the two spouses

Male impotence is a pathological condition associated with abnormal physiological capacity of the penis to reginout and bring sexual partner pleasure in bed.sex impotenceimpotence may not men to pass unnoticed – it usually spoils his nervous sy...

anaerobic (i.e. can manage without oxygen);

- gram (the term refers not to weight but to the staining of bacteria according to the method of the scientist Grama) – this property is used for diagnostics of diseases.

- chemoorganotrophs (eat organic);

- asporogenous (do not form spores);

- parasitic.

Characteristics of life

In human and animal streptococci massively live and feed in the oral cavity, nasopharynx, gastrointestinal tract, colon, blood, or other ways to get to any organ and set up their pathogenic activity. In addition, streptococci are found in our surrounding environments, such as dust, any surface, sputum, dried pus. Despite the fact that parasites form the L-shape and seems to be unprotected, to get rid of them is quite difficult. These bacteria are able to survive in the cold, “hold” for 30 minutes at a temperature of +55 degrees, and the solutions of corrosive sublimate and carbolic acid to kill them in 15 minutes. But there are species of streptococci, with a wider border of viability. In the dried fragments of pus, sputum (dried and fresh), all kinds of microorganism remain viable indefinitely. But the greatest activity of these pathogens are in the environment temperature of 37 ^OC and pH close to neutral or slightly alkaline pH values (6.9 to 7.6). FYI, room temperature water has a pH of 7, and in saliva the majority of people pH 7-7. 4, that is, they are ideal for the development of streptococci in them. Especially great is the fecundity of bacteria are if they fall in a medium containing blood, blood serum, glucose, because it is their favorite food. Here they very quickly grow to large colonies. If you put different types of streptococci in blood agar (specially prepared solution containing the blood of some animals), some of them the color of the agar will not change, others form around their colonies zone complete disintegration of red blood cells (hemolysis), the third “embellish” captured the place in green. In less fertile conditions (e.g., dust) colonies of streptococci is much less (up to 2.5 mm), the touch is often smooth, sometimes rough, looks translucent and shiny. In liquids, the microorganisms seek out the vessel walls or at the bottom, leaving the very environment transparent.

The biggest damage from streptococci is that they produce very dangerous toxins, causing poisoning of the body of the victim and can even lead to death.

What are the streptococci

There are several generally accepted classifications. According to brown and Sutmuller, the whole army of streptococci is divided into 3 main groups:

1. Hemolytic.

2. Viridans.

3. Newemailusecase.

The Most dangerous are hemolytic streptococci, but not all are pathogenic. At the same time among harmless phenolicresin there are quite a “serious” parasites.

Due To difficulties in determining the harmfulness of Streptococcus was proposed another classification. Developed it independently from each other Rebecca Lensfield and Frederick Griffith. Them for was based on the antigenic structure of pathogens, through which they were divided into 17 species or groups is referred to Latin letters. First – And Streptococcus, second, third C, fourth D, and so on, up to S-group-a streptococci. For men the most unpleasant are the first four. Let us examine themread more and start with the answer to the question: “group a Streptococcus – what is it?" Why him? First, because he was the first on the list, and second, because it is the most dangerous parasite that causes human a “bouquet” disease. So…

Streptococcus group A

Bacteria of this group are not only most dangerous but also the most numerous. There are discovered 53 species of these microorganisms, and 49 of them belong to group A. They are found in the respiratory tract, mouth, intestine, genital organs, and with blood where the parasites very easily gets transferred to any part of the body and in any organ. Another name for these bacteria-Streptococcus pyogenes, that is, pyogenic Streptococcus. What is it? From Greek pyon translated as "pus". From the title it is clear that the pyogenic streptococci causing disease, accompanied by purulent secretions (purulent infection). This is not the only threat to their property. Such microorganisms provoke after the transfer of the underlying disease complications-rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis (kidney disease). The main feature of all streptococci And group is the presence in the walls of their cells, M-protein, and it is found in 80 variations. This substance protects streptococci from phagocytes that exist in human blood, to eat the foreign body. In addition, a representative of the pathogens group A has the capsule also protects them from phagocytes. Such morphological characteristics of streptococci “guilty” that the man who recover from anything that produces immunity only to that type of parasite that the disease is caused. That is, if your sore throat was caused by a-Streptococcus protein M1, the immunity will be only to this bacterium, and the pathogen protein M2 will not be, and so you can again become ill with angina. The numbers in this case determine the type of linkages in the protein.

Hemolytic Streptococcus: what it is

The Term "hemolytic" means destroying blood cells. If the parasite causes complete hemolysis (complete destruction of all blood cells around itself), it is called a beta-hemolytic. Almost all representatives of the first four groups (A, B, C, D) are exactly those are. They cause the following diseases:

• Sore throat;
• Scarlet fever;
• Face;
• Impetigo (disease of skin);
• Infectious endocarditis;
• Abscesses (abdominal brain);
• Meningitis, neonatal sepsis;
• Post-Natal sepsis;
• Various infections of the urogenital system.

There is Also alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus. What is it? This is the same hemolytic Streptococcus (viridans), but he destroys the red blood cells in part. It may seem that this kind of less dangerous. In fact, he is such a dangerous disease like:

• The abscesses of the peritoneum and of the brain;
• Periodontitis;
• Infectious endocarditis;
• Pneumonia;
• Meningitis.

These streptococci, as mentioned above, are able to change the color of the medium from red to green.

There are still a gamma-hemolytic Streptococcus. What is it? So called bacteria that does not destroy red blood cells and do not change around a agar medium (the so-called newemailusecase). But they can cause a number of diseases:

• Infectious endocarditis;
• Sinusitis
• Infection in wounds.

Streptococcal sore throat

Generally, sore throat – the definition is broad, meaning any inflammation of the throat. It can be caused not only streptococci but also other viral and bacterial pathogens. Let's discuss what to do if discovered strep throat, what is it and how not to be mistaken with the diagnosis, because it affects the method of treatment. Accurate verdict can only be made by the doctor according to the results of microbiological analyses (smear). He takes a sterile swab from the pharynx. In addition, there are two rapid test, but a swab is the most accurate. To be infected with streptococcal sore throat can only be in contact with the patient, if you do not observe precautions. The main symptoms:

• Sore throat, especially during swallowing;
• Temperature;
• Weakness, fever;
• Tenderness cervical nodes;
• Swelling of the mucous membranes;
• White or pus patches on the tonsils and throat;
• In rare cases, abdominal pain.

The Disease with proper treatment lasts up to 5 days. Medications must be selected in such a way that it does not suffer from the kidneys and joints.

Often patients prescribed oral antibiotics, and in special cases, subcutaneously. To reduce pain in the throat using sprays or rinses with antiseptics, decoctions of chamomile, solution of soda.

About the same symptoms as tonsillitis, scarlet fever characterized only in this disease adds a punctate red rash on the body caused by the toxins of streptococci. When scarlet fever also observed the symptom of the “strawberry tongue" (with white coating and red papillae). Treatment is similar to that described above.

Streptococcal skin disease

Some of the patients the doctors sent to be tested for Streptococcus SPP. What is it? Yes, all the same bacteria-cocci. Correct the group called Streptococcus SPP. It includes the familiar pyogenic streptococci, which are the cause of manydiseases, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, causing pneumonia, meningitis, bronchitis, blood poisoning, and Streptococcus mutans responsible for tooth decay and endocarditis.

Streptococcal skin diseases include impetigo and erysipelas.

The First disease cause of pyogenic streptococci And group. As a rule, the more often it occurs in children, if not complied with sanitary norms. Streptococci in the home are constantly on the skin people. Where ‘friends with purity" (wash hands, make regular wet cleaning), with their skin removed. And where hygiene is not all right, streptococci inhabit skin constantly and at the slightest trauma, including light scratches and insect bites, penetrate into the subcutaneous layer. The symptoms of impetigo are painless lesions near the nose, lips, and rarely on other parts of the body. In the first stage, these rashes are a form of red nodules (papules) that later transformed into the purulent vesicles (pustules), break open and dry up with the formation of yellowish crusts. Treat impetigo with antibiotics.

The Face is also called pyogenic streptococci. The disease occurs due to the penetration of bacteria into the subcutaneous tissue. Causes – various violations of the integrity of the skin, from cuts to insect bites. The symptoms are:

• Redness, soreness, swelling of the affected area of the skin;
• Fever;
• Fever.

One of the most unpleasant properties of pathology is the possibility of relapse many years after apparent cure.

Pneumonia

The disease has several varieties, depending on the pathogen. Strep pneumonia – one of the most dangerous. It is called the infiltration into the lungs of Streptococcus Pneumoniae. To catch can, inhaling air that contained pathogenic bacteria. Pneumonia begins suddenly, but in some cases its gradual development. The symptoms are:

• High fever
• Cough;
• Chest pain;
• Shortness of breath;
• Fever;
• Purulent effusion (accumulation of pus in the lungs) – this process has a strong tendency to increase, and if urgently not to take measures, in the lungs, formation of adhesions.

Diagnose pneumonia by x-ray and sputum testing allocated. Treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids, as a rule, requires a holistic approach. The therapy develops qualified personnel only! Without proper treatment, pneumonia is often fatal.

Streptococcus agalactiae: what is it

Streptococcus group And we more or less sorted out. Let's talk now about the parasites of the group B. They were first identified by studying mastitis in cows. Later it was discovered that these bacteria cause only born babies meningitis and sepsis, and their mothers – puerperal sepsis. Called parasites Streptococcus agalactiae (in Russian – “strep agalactia”). What is it? Answer: this is a very dangerous bacteria, leading either to death or to serious complications. Their body (the cell wall) contains the capsular polysaccharides, the latter – 9 variations. Accordingly, there are 9 serotypes of Streptococcus, agalactiae. In order to determine exactly which one caused the disease, the test is done in the camp. Abbreviation – it's only capital letters of the names of the scientists involved in this problem.

Due to some confusion in the classifications there are certain complications. So, take, for example, Streptococcus group B. What is it? Yes, the same as the Streptococcus, agalactiae. They are two names for the same bacteria. Streptococcus groups have either oval or round shape. Their main “residence” – the genitourinary system. Newborn bacteria are passed in the birth process. Sepsis develops only in 2% of children, but 50% of them die, and survivors often suffer from disorders of the brain. To sepsis can occur immediately (within one day) or over time (weeks to 3 months). The symptoms are:

• Drowsiness;
• Lethargic-sucking;
• Respiratory failure;
• Hypotension arteries;
• Bacteremia (blood the presence of bacteria);
• Pneumonia or meningitis.

In patients of streptococcal sepsis is manifested in the pain and bloating of bacteremia. Sometimes starts, meningitis and/or endocarditis infectious.

All categories of citizens group streptococci cause such diseases:

• Meningitis;
• Bronchopneumonia;
• Purulent arthritis;
• Inflammation of the genitourinary system;
• Osteomyelitis;
• The abscesses of the pelvis, peritoneum and others.

Streptococcus groups C and D

In the small number of people have found streptococci of other groups. Bacteria belonging to the group are beta-hemolytic and cause the same disease as the pathogens A-group. To group D will include streptococci, and enterococci. They cause disease mainly in elderly, debilitated by disease people and those who are due to uncontrolled use of antibiotics has violated the body's microflora balance.

People Often ask what is the norm streptococci because they do not always cause disease. As such the rules do not. This bacteria remains harmless until the immune system is able “to keep them in line”. Therefore, the main task of all of us – to improve and strengthen your immune system by all means available. If he suddenly falters, streptococci are out of control and attack.To destroy bacteria is unthinkable, as the place of the retired in a matter of hours is new, because a lot of them in our environment. In the mouth the share of streptococci account for 60% of all microorganisms. With regard to streptococci In groups, we find in the mucous membranes of the genital organs is normal to not be.