Chapter 6:

Bacteria
Dr. Caridad D. Garcia
Classification of Bacteria

P ro ca ry o tes
G ra m -N eg ativ e G ra m -P ositiv e W a ll-L ess A rcha ea
B a cteria B a cteria B acteria B a cteria
(G ra c ilic u te s ) (F irm ic ute s ) (T e ne ric ute s ) (M e ndos ic u te s )
Th in C ell W alls Th ic k c ell W alls L a c k c ell w alls U n u s u al c e ll w alls
 Bacterial Groups
 Most widely accepted taxonomic classification for
bacteria is Bergey’s Manual of Systematic
Bacteriology.
 5000 bacterial species identified, 3100 classified.
 Bacteria
are divided into four divisions (phyla)
according to the characteristics of their cell walls.
 Bacterial Groups
 Each division is divided into sections according to:
 Gram stain reaction
 Cell shape
 Cell arrangements
 Oxygen requirements
 Motility
 Nutritional and metabolic properties
 Each section contains several genera
Four Divisions Of Bacteria
 Gram-Negative Bacteria
1. Spirochetes
 Helical shape. Flexible.
 Contain two or more axial filaments (endoflagella).
 Move in corkscrew pattern.
 Medically important members:
 Treponema pallidum: Syphilis
 Borrelia burgdorferi: Lyme disease
 B. hermsii: relapsing fever
 Leptospira: Leptospirosis
 Treponema pallidum: Syphilis
 8-20 evenly spaced coils
 Fastidious, obligate parasite; limited to humans
 Primary syphilis: infective but painless chancre that heals
spontaneously as the microbe becomes systemic
 Secondary syphilis: skin rash, fever, damage to mucous
membranes
 Tertiary stage: gummas (tumors), life-threatening
cardiovascular & neurological effects
 Treponema pallidum: Congenital
Syphilis
 Acquired transplacentally

 Disrupts embryonic & fetal development

 Survivorsmay have respiratory, skin, bone, teeth,

eye & joint abnormalities if not treated
Syphilis is Caused by a Spirochete

Primary syphilitic chancre and secondary rash.

Source: Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 1997
Gram Negative Bacteria
Spirochetes
 Leptospira interrogans:
Leptospirosis
 Has numerous fine, regular coils w/ one or both ends
curved; hooked spirochete

 Leptospirosis is a tropical zoonosis transmitted through

direct contact with the urine of infected animals

 Spirochete enters cut, multiplies in blood & spinal fluid

 Long-term infections may affect the kidneys & liver

Lyme Disease is Caused by a
Spirochete

Lyme Disease early lesion at tick bite site.

Source: Medical Microbiology, 1998
Borrelia burgdorferi: Lyme disease
 3-10 loose, irregular coils; comparatively
larger w/ an abundance of periplasmic flagella
 Carried by mice & spread by a hard tick
(Ixodes) that lives on deer & mice
 Fever & a prominent ring-shaped rash (bull’s-
eye rash) radiating outward from the bite site
 Untreated, may cause cardiac, neurological &
arthritic symptoms
 Can be controlled by antibiotics (tetracycline,
amoxycillin) if administered early & by
avoiding tick contact
2. Aerobic, Motile, Helical/Vibroid Gram-
Negative Bacteria
Rigid helical shape or curved rods.
Lack axial filaments (endoflagella); have
polar flagella instead.
Most are harmless aquatic organisms.
Genus Azospirillum fixes nitrogen in
soil.
Genus Bdellovibrio attacks other
bacteria.
2. Aerobic, Motile, Helical/Vibroid Gram-
Negative Bacteria
 Campylobacter jejuni: Campylobacter jejuni Enteritis –
contaminated water & animal products, food-borne intestinal
disease, associated with undercooked chicken.
Headache, fever, abdominal pain, bloody or watery diarrhea
(similar to cholera)
CJT – enterotoxin
Rehydration & electrolyte balance therapy
Erythromycin, tetracyclin, aminoglycosides or quinoles
2. Aerobic, Motile, Helical/Vibroid
Gram-Negative Bacteria
 Campylobacter fetus: STD in sheep, cattle, goat
 Abortions in domestic animals
 Opportunistic pathogen
 Meningits, pneumonia, arthritis, fatal septicemic infection in
the newborn, sexually transmitted proctitis
2. Aerobic, Motile, Helical/Vibroid
Gram-Negative Bacteria
 Helicobacter pylori: gastritis, gastric ulcers in humans
 Person-to-person by oral-oral or oral-fecal route
 Mechanical vectors: flies
 2-4 wks of clarithromycin
 Tagamet, Zantac
Helicobacter pylori causes Gastric Ulcers
Gram Negative Bacteria
Aerobic, Motile, Helical/Vibroid Gram-
Negative Bacteria
3. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci
Genus Pseudomonas: Rods with polar flagella.
Many secrete pigments in media.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: nosocomial
opportunist.Urinary tract infections (UTIs),
septicemia, abcesses, burns, pulmonary infections
in cystic fibrosis patients, and meningitis.
Tissue exudates w/ grapelike odor &
“blue” pus
Drugs: 3rd generation
cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, carbenicillin,
polymyxin, quinolones, monobactams
Genus Legionella: Rods that live in natural waters.
Frequently found in air conditioning systems,
humidifiers, showers, spas, and fountains.
Legionella pneumophila: Legionnaires’ disease
(pneumonia, 1976) and Pontiac fever. [Rising
fever (410C), cough, diarrhea, abdominal pain.]
Legionnaire’s: pneumonia – consolidation &
impaired respiration & organ function.
Erythromycin w/, w/o rifampin
Azithromycin or quinolones
Chlorination & regular cleaning of habitat
Genus Neisseria: Diplococci. Frequently
found on human mucous membranes. Only
grow well around body temperature.
Neisseria gonorrhea: Gonorrhea.
Neisseria meningitidis: Meningitis.
Neisseria gonorrhea Causes Salpingitis
Neisseria gonorrhea Causes Neonatal Blindness

Ophtalmia neonatorum caused by Neisseria gonorrheae

Source: Microbiology Perspectives, 1999
3. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci
(Continued)
 Genus Moraxella: small, aerobic egg-shaped cocco-bacilli.
 Moraxella lacunata: Conjunctivitis.

 Genus Brucella: Malta fever, Undulant fever, Bang Disease

 Small nonmotile coccobacilli; can survive phagocytocytes

All species are obligate parasites of mammals

 B. abortus (from cattle)
 B. suis (from pigs)
3. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci
(Continued)
 Brucellosis. Can survive phagocytosis.
 Focal lesions on the spleen, bone marrow, & kidney
 Fluctuating pattern of fever; chills, profuse sweating, headache,
muscle pain , weakness, weight loss
 Tetracycline, rifampin, or streptomycin x 3-6wks
 Testing & elimination of infected animals
 Quarantine of imported animals, pasteurization of milk
3. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci
(Continued)
 Genus Bordetella: Nonmotile rods. Virulent forms have capsules.
 Bordetella pertussis: Whooping cough (P in DPT
vaccine)
 Direct contact with droplets or inhalation of infectious
aerosols

2. Paroxysmal Stage –
1. Catarrhal stage: recurrent, persistent coughing:
nasal drainage & fits of several, hacking cough
congestion, sneezing & followed by a deep inhalation
occasional coughing that pulls air through the
congested larynx & produces a
“whoop”.
3. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci
(Continued)
 Genus Francisella: Small pleomorphic bacteria.
 Francisella tularensis: Tularemia
 Zoonotic disease: rabbits, rodents, some domestic
animals; vectors: mites, mosquitoes, flies
 Ulcerative skin lesions, fever, swollen lymph glands,
conjunctivitis, sore throat, intestinal disruption,
pulmonary involvement
 Genera Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium: Form nodules on
legume roots and fix nitrogen in soil.
4. Facultative Anaerobic Gram-Negative
Rods
Many cause diseases of gastrointestinal tract.
Contains three medically significant families.
I. Family Enterobacteriaceae (Enterics)
 Inhabit intestinal tracts of animals.
 Motile bacteria with peritrichous flagella or nonmotile.
 Many have fimbriae for attachment to mucous membranes
and sex pili for exchange of DNA (antibiotic resistance
genes)
 Most ferment glucose and other sugars.
4. Facultative Anaerobic Gram-Negative
Rods
 Genus Escherichia:
 Escherichia coli – most prevalent enteric bacillus
 Enterotoxigenic E. coli - severe diarrhea

2 toxins: Heat-labile toxin (LT) & heat-stable

toxin (ST)  mimics cholera
 Enteroinvasive E. coli – inflammatory disease similar to Shigella
dysentery: invasion & ulceration of the mucosa of large intestines
 Enteropathogenic strains of E.coli – wasting form of infantile
diarrhea
 E.coli O157:H7 – hemorrhagic syndrome  permanent damage to
the kidney
I. Family Enterobacteriaceae (Continued)
 Genus Salmonella: Almost all members are potential pathogens.
Common inhabitants of animal GI tract. Can contaminate food (eggs,
meat).
 Salmonella typhi: Typhoid fever (severe illness)
 Fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, infiltration of lymph nodes,
liver, spleen  hemorrhage, perforation, peritonitis
 Chloramphenicol or sulfatrimethoprim
 S. enteritidis: Causes salmonellosis, the second most
common bacterial food-borne disease.
 Vomiting, diarrhea, fluid loss, mucosal lesions
I. Family Enterobacteriaceae (Continued)
Genus Shigella: Only found in humans.
Second most common cause of traveler’s
diarrhea.
Genus Klebsiella: Cause respiratory and UTIs.
Klebsiella pneumoniae: Antibiotic resistant
strains cause pneumonia and nosocomial
infections.
Genus Serratia: Opportunistic respiratory and
urinary tract infections.
Serratia marcescens: Produces a red pigment.
Important cause of nosocomial infections.
I. Family Enterobacteriaceae (Continued)
Genus Proteus: Actively motile. Cause UTIs,
wound infections, and infant diarrhea
(nosocomial).
Genus Yersinia:
Yersinia pestis: Causes bubonic plague (black
death). Transmitted by fleas, respiratory
droplet, and contact with animals.
Genus Erwinia: Important plant pathogens.
Genus Enterobacter: Cause UTIs and
nosocomial infections.
4. Facultative Anaerobic Gram-Negative
Rods
II. Family Vibrionaceae
 Found in aquatic habitats.
 Straight or slightly curved rods
 Genus Vibrio: Slightly curved rods.
 Vibrio cholerae: Cholera, profuse & watery diarrhea.
 Vibrio parahaemolyticus: Gastroenteritis. Shellfish.
 Cholera is Caused by Vibrio cholerae

Rice-water stool of cholera.

Source: Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 1995
4. Facultative Anaerobic Gram-Negative Rods
III. Family Pasterellaceae
 Found in aquatic habitats.
 Straight or slightly curved rods
 Genus Pasteurella: Pathogens of domestic animals.
 Genus Hemophilus: Important pathogens that inhabit mucous
membranes of upper respiratory tract, mouth, vagina, and intestinal
tract. Require blood in culture.
 Hemophilus influenzae: Causes meningitis, ear
infections, bronchitis, arthritis, and pneumonia in
children.
 H. ducreyi: Cause of sexually transmitted chancroid.
 Genus Gardnerella: Not assigned to any family.
 G. vaginalis causes common form of vaginitis.
5. Anaerobic Gram-Negative Rods
May be straight, helical, or curved.
 Genus Bacteroides: Nonmotile. Live in human intestinal
tract (1 billion/gram of feces) and gum crevices. Cause
peritonitis, abscesses, and deep tissue infections.
 Genus Fusobacterium: Long slender rods with pointed tips.
Found in gingival crevices, cause dental abscesses.

6. Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria
Obligate anaerobes that release H2S into the
atmosphere.
Found in soil and intestinal tract of animals.
Ecologically important.
7. Anaerobic Gram-Negative Cocci
Nonmotile cocci typically found in pairs.
 Genus Veillonella: Cause dental plaque.

8. Rickettsias and Chlamydias

Gram negative bacteria.
Obligate intracellular parasites.
Rickettsias: Rod shaped bacteria or coccobacilli,
highly pleomorphic. Transmitted to humans by insects
and ticks (except for Coxiella burnetti which causes Q
fever).
 Genus Ehrlichiae: Live in white blood cells.
 Genus Rickettsia: Cause spotted group fevers (Rocky
mountain spotted fever, endemic typhus).
Chlamydias: Cocci shaped bacteria. Transmitted
to humans by interpersonal contact or by airborne
respiratory routes.
Unique life cycle: Form a reticulate and
elementary bodies in infected cells.
Three species:
 Chlamydia trachomatis: Causes blindness in humans
and nongonococcal urethritis
 C. psittaci: Parrot fever.
 C. pneumoniae: Mild pneumonia.
Division II. Gram-Positive
Bacteria
17. Gram-Positive Cocci
 Non-spore forming cocci.
 Aerobic to strictly anaerobic.
 Pyogenic (pus-forming)
 Genus Staphylococcus: Tend to form grape-like clusters.
Grow well under high osmotic pressure and low moisture.
Very common infections, because almost always found on
skin and in nasal mucous membranes.
Division II. Gram-Positive Bacteria
17. Gram-Positive Cocci
Staphylococcus aureus: (aureus = golden)
Yellow pigmented colonies. Produce several
toxins. Cause pimples, sties, skin abscesses, toxic
shock syndrome, food poisoning, and nosocomial
infections.
Antibiotic resistance is big problem.
Vancomycin is last line of defense against
antibiotic resistant strains.
 Diseases Caused by Staphylococcus aureus

Scalded Sty Toxic Shock

Skin Syndrome Syndrome
17. Gram-Positive Cocci
 Genus Streptococcus: Most are pathogens. Tend to appear in
chains or pairs. Do not use oxygen, but most are aerotolerant.
Classified based on their effect on red blood cells (hemolysis).
Cause a wide range of diseases: Strep throat, respiratory
infections, abscesses, puerperal fever, and opportunistic
infections.
17. Gram-Positive Cocci
A flesh eating Streptococcus strain emerged in 1994 and 1998.
After initial infection, bacteria live on dead flesh, produce
toxins, and are not treatable by antibiotics.
Streptococcus pneumoniae: Bacterial
pneumonia, ear infections, meningitis, and sinus
infections.
Streptococcus pyogenes: Strep throat, scarlet
fever, rheumatic fever, impetigo, skin infections,
erysipelas, puerperal fever, glomerulonephritis.
Scarlet Fever is Caused by a Strain of
Streptococcus pyogenes
Flesh-Eating Streptococcus pyogenes

Necrotizing fasciitis with blood filled vesicles.

Source: Perspectives in Microbiology, 1995
Erysipelas is Caused by Strep. pyogenes

Erysipelas on face due to S. pyogenes infection

Source: Color Guide to Infectious Diseases, 1992
18. Endospore-Forming Gram-Positive Rods and Cocci
 Aerobic to strictly anaerobic.
 Motile and nonmotile.
 Survive harsh environmental conditions.
 Genus Bacillus: Rod shaped bacteria.
 Bacillus anthracis: Causes anthrax a disease of cattle. Large (4-8
um) nonmotile facultative anaerobe.
 Bacillus thuringiensis: Kills insects, used by gardeners.
18. Endospore-Forming Gram-Positive Rods and Cocci
 Genus Clostridium: Rod shaped bacteria, obligate anaerobes.
Clostridium tetani: Causes tetanus (T in DPT
vaccine).
Clostridium botulinum: Causes botulism.
Clostridium perfringens: Causes gas gangrene
and foodborne diarrhea.
 Tetanus is Caused by Clostridium tetani

Neonatal Tetanus (Wrinkled brow and risus sardonicus)

Source: Color Guide to Infectious Diseases, 1992
Gangrene Caused by Clostridium perfringens

Severe gangrene caused by Clostridium perfringens.

Source: Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 1997
19. Regular Nonsporing Gram-Positive Rods

 Genus Lactobacillus: Produce lactic acid which inhibits the

growth of other bacteria. In humans live in vagina, intestinal
tract, and mouth. Used commercially to make yogurt, pickles,
sauerkraut, and buttermilk.
 Genus Listeria: Contaminates dairy products.

Listeria monocytogenes: Survives in

phagocytic cells and grows in refrigerators.
Causes listeriosis.
Infection of pregnant women can cause stillbirth
or severe damage to fetus.
20. Irregular Nonsporing Gram-Positive Rods
Club shaped (Corynebacteria),
pleomorphic.
May be anaerobic or aerobic.
Important pathogens:
Corynebacterium diphtheriae:
Cause diphtheria (D in DPT vaccine).
Propionibacterium acnes: Causes
acne.
21. Mycobacteria
 Aerobic, non-spore-forming rods.
 Stain Gram-positive, but cell wall structure is more similar to
Gram-negative bacteria.
 Waxy cell wall with mycolic acids (instead of
peptidoglycan).
 Acid-fast, drug resistant, resistant to drying, and pathogenic
due to waxy cell wall.
 Grow very slowly.
 Tend to cause chronic infections.

Important pathogens:
 Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Causes tuberculosis.
 Mycobacterium leprae: Causes leprosy.
Mycobacterium leprae Causes Leprosy

Source: Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 1995

Mycobacterium leprae Causes Leprosy

Severe bone destruction in advanced leprosy

Source: Diagnostic Pictures in Infectious Diseases, 1995
22. Nocardioforms
 Gram-positive, filamentous, aerobic.
 Many are acid fast.
 Common in soil.
 Genus Nocardia: Form filaments which fragment into short rods to
reproduce.
 Nocardia asteroides: Pulmonary infections, mycetoma, abscesses.
25. Actinomycetes
 Gram-positive, filamentous, resemble molds.
 Common in soil.
 Genus Streptomyces: Live in soil. Give soil its musty odor.
Produce hundreds of antibiotics.
Division III. Wall-Less Bacteria
30. Mycoplasmas
 Do not form cell walls.
 Most are aerobes or facultative anaerobes.
 Highly pleomorphic.
 Can produce filaments that resemble fungi.
 Produce very small colonies (1 nm in diameter).
 Very small cells: 0.1 to 0.25 m in diameter.
 Can pass through bacterial filters.
Most important human pathogen:
Mycoplasma pneumoniae: Walking pneumonia.