Name: Staphylococcus Aureus

Symptoms:

Diagnosis: Gram positive cocci (clumps), catalase positive, coagulase positive,

manitol salt agar growth
Treatment: Flucloxicillin
Prevention: --Staphylococcus aureus is found on moist skin folds, G.I. tract and urogenital
tract. This bacterium can survive for long periods of time on dry surfaces due to
its capsule. Transmission of Staphylococcus Aureus occurs by human-human
contact and is one of the major causes of hospital acquired infections.
Staph Aureus has virulence factors that help it to colonise and damage host
tissues and spread. These include MSCRAMMS which are cell wall attached
proteins found in all gram positive bacteria. These can bind to host ECM for
tissue colonisation.
They also have damaging factors like cytolysins which are toxins that form pores
in membranes of cells . Exfoliative toxins made of serine proteases also help to
damage skin and cause peeling by splitting desmosomes.
Once an infection is established from Staph Aureus spreading factors such as
lipase (hydrolyse lipids), nuclease (hydrolyse DNA to decrease pus viscosity),
hyaluronidase (connective tissue), protease and staphylokinase (dissolve clots)
help facilitate the bacteria so that it can cause bacteraemia.
Staph Aureus also contain superantigens that can cause food poisoning or toxic
shock by releasing lots of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
It also contains immune evasive factors such as capsules to prevent
opsonisation, catalase to detoxify peroxide produced by macrophages and

neutrophils and Protein A which binds IgG antibodies in the wrong direction
preventing phagocytosis.