STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS

Aderaw Damtie1

ABSTRACT: Genus Staphylococci are gram positive, spherical cells, grow in irregular clusters, aerobic,
facultative anaerobic, produce acid from glucose, catalase positive. Among Staphylococcus Species,
Staphylococcus aureus is the most important that produce six distinct types of entroxins that have
different levels of toxicity. The entroxins are heat resistant and cannot be destroyed easily by boiling or
ordinary rewarming temperature. Staphylococcus aureus sensitive to penicillin and it is the recommended
one. Most domestic animals harbor Staphylococcus aureus and also Staphylococcus aureus found in soil,
water, and air as droplets however, here is a debate between scholars on the habitat of Staphylococcus
aureus and as my reading and understanding mammalian body is the primary source of Staphylococcus
aureus specially humans. And also, by different activities it may be transferred towards the environment
but not the primary source of it.

Key words: Contamination, Food poisoning, Organisms, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococci

INTRODUCTION
The general characteristics of genus Staphylococci are gram positive, ovoid or spherical, non-
motile, arranged in groups or clusters, grow on agar and producing colonies, golden yellow,
white, or lemon yellow color, aerobes or facultative anaerobes; biochemical activities hemolytic
power are variable; pathogenic strains produce coagulase, ferment glucose, lactose, manitole
with production of acid, liquefy gelatin and produce pus in lesion (Dey et al., 1999). The genus
Staphylococcus includes at least twenty-seven Species at the start of 1991. Of the eighteen
Species and sub Species which are studied separately, only six are coagulase positive, and they
generally produce thermostable nuclease (TNase). Ten of the coagulase negative Species
produce entrotoxin, and they do not produce nuclease (Jay, 2003). The genus contains 30 Species
and the medical importance species include Staphylococcus aureus which infects man and

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Applied Microbiology Stream, Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program Unit, Faculty of Life science,
Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box-1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Staphylococcus aureus is found in especially large numbers in the nasal passages (its presence on
the skin is usually the result of transport from these passages). Staphylococcus epidermis, (staph
ablbus) that is normal skin flora, Staphylococcus saprophytics, found mainly on genitourinary
mucous membrane and skin similar to Staphylococcus epidermis which is represent up to 90% of
the normal microbiota of skin. And Staphylococcus epidermis are normally non-pathogenic
unless the skin barrier is broken or through contamination with medical procedures.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most pathogenic of all the Staphylococci. It produces an enzyme
called coagulase that causes the fibrin in blood to clot. These clots protect the bacteria from
phagocytosis and other host defenses. They also produce many toxins and are associated with
many opportunistic and nocosomial infections, including: folliculitis, stys, boils, impetigo,
scalded skin syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, acute bacterial endocarditis, and Staphylococcal
food poisoning (Adley, 2006). This organism is the causative agent of the most common form of
food poisoning. Intoxication causes a rapid response of gastrointestinal (GI) disturbance, usually
within 1 to 6 hours after eating. Unfortunately, the toxin is very heat resistant and reheating will
not destroy it, although the bacteria may be destroyed. Penicillin used to be the drug of choice,
but now only 10% of all Staphylococcus aureus strains are sensitive, then methicillin or
vancomycin must be used. Unfortunately, there are many methicillin resistance organisms like
Staphylococcus aureus and some have even developed a resistance to vancomycin (Dey et al.,
1999).
Habitat
Mammalian Body Surface
Staphylococci are ubiquitous organism and the primary natural habitat is mammalian body
surface and some are members of the normal flora of skin and mucous membrane of man
(present in boils and abscesses forming pus and in skin from which they are expelled in to air as
droplets) and others are commonest cause of suppuration. Pasteur isolates the organism in 1880
from pus and produced abscesses in rabbit by inoculation of the organism. In the same year, Sir
Alexander Ogston, a surgeon from Scotland, established conclusively the pathogenic role of
Staphylococci in abscesses and supurative lesion. Staphylococcus aureus is normally does not
grow in human intestines because of competition by other organisms. Therefore, public health
investigators usually are unable to locate the organism in stool samples. Moreover, the
contaminated food often has been consumed completely. Thus, case reports often are based on

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systems, pattern of outbreak, and type of food eaten. When investigators locate Staphylococci,
they can identify the organisms by grow on manitol salt agar, Ham is particularly susceptible
because Staphylococci tolerate salt; refrigerator temperature are generally set at about 5oc,
refrigeration is not an absolute safeguard against contamination (Jay, 2003). Staphylococcus
aureus is a common commensal of humans and its primary habitat is the moist squamous
epithelium of the anterior nares (Peacock et al., 2001 cited in Foster, 2004).

Water, Air and Soil

They are also present in soil, sewage, water and in articles used by humans (Dey et al., 1999).
But no Staphylococcus aureus found in any background with related to biosolids (soil), aerosols
and sewages, mean they are not likely or significantly source of Staphylococcus aureus exposure
or infection of man. However, in sewages (<30 100g-1) Staphylococcus aureus might be detected
and may be resulted from other sources (Rusin et al., 2003).

Cell Structure
The cell wall structure of Staphylococcus aureus cells show neucloids, mesonomes and
(trilaminar) cytoplasmic membrane, separated from cell wall by priplasmic region. The cell wall
Staphylococcus aureus consist of three major components such as Peptidoglycan (PG), Teichoic
acids (TA) and protein A. The sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid containing strain
could be the result of physical interaction of the plasmid DNA with the membrane or the action
of some gene product specified by the plasmid DNA. Some unsaturated fatty acids inhibit the
growth of Staphylococcus aureus and the effectiveness is related both to the degree of
unsaturation and configuration of the molecule about the double bounds (Butcher et al., 1976).

pH and Temperature
Although Staphylococcus aureus is mesophile, some strains can grow at a temperature as low as
6.7oc and regarding pH, Staphylococcus aureus can grow over a range of 6 to 7 (Jay, 2003).

Pathogencity and Symptoms

Staphylococci are common parasites of humans and animals and occasionally cause serious
infections, Staphylococcus aureus, a yellow pigmented form that is most commonly associated
with pathological conditions, include boils, pimples, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, menogitis, and
arthritis (Madgan et al., 1997). Staphylococcus aureus is among the most prominent pathogens in

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both community –acquired and nosocomial infections (Waldvogel, 1990 and Sheagren, 1984
cited in Smeltzer et al., 1996). The Staphylococcal food poisoning or food intoxicating syndrome
was first studied in 1849 by Deys and late in 1914 by Barber, who produced in himself the signs
and symptoms of the disease by consuming milk that had been contaminated with a culture of
Staphylococcus aureus. The symptoms of Staphylococcal food poisoning usually develop within
4 hours of the ingestion of contaminated milk or food. The symptoms are nausea, vomiting,
abdominal cramps (which are usually quit sever), diarrhea, sweating, headache, prostration and
sometimes a fall in body temperature (Assefa Esayas, 2007). Staphylococcal food poisoning also
caused by an exotoxin and entroxin. Years ago it is common people to complain of ptomaine
poisoning shortly after eating contaminated food. (Indeed, the recovery of potains and placed the
plame for most food poisoning on the gram positive, non-motile bacterium, Staphylococcus
aureus. And in 1929 Alexander Fleming noticed that an agar plates inoculated with
Staphylococcus aureus had become contaminated with a mold and that the mold colony was
surrounded by a clean zone, indicating inhibition of bacterial growth. Most strains of
Staphylococcus aureus are penicillinase negative and produced entrotoxin B and the resetivity of
methicillin, heave metal ion, entrythromycin and penicilinase production is decreased by 2% of
the donor bacteria at a temperature of 44 0c (Dornbusch, 1975). MRSA is synonymous with
multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, because many nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus
strains are resistant to most commonly used antibiotics (Dornbusch and Hallander, 1973).

CONCLUSION
To sum up, today Staphylococcal food poisoning ranks as the second most reported of all types
of food borne disease (Salmonella related illnesses are first). Because most Staphylococcal out
breaks probably go unreported, Staphylococcal food poisoning could be the most common type.
The incubation period for Staphylococcal food poisoning is a brief one to six hours. Often the
individual can think back and pin point the source. Examples are spoiled meats and fish, as well
as contaminated dairy products, cream filled pastries and salads, such as potato salad and
coleslaw. Staphylococcus aureus lack unusual taste, odor, or appearance and only clues to
possible contamination are factors such as moisture content, low acidity and improper heat
resistant all exotoxins. The key reservoir of Staphylococcus aureus is humans. Thus, an errant
sneeze may be the source of Staphylococci in foods. Studies indicate, however, that the most

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common mode of transmission is from boils or abscesses on the skin that shed Staphylococci. In
humans the main reservoir of Staphylococcus aureus is the nasal cavity. From this source, the
organisms find their way to the skin and in to wound either directly or indirectly. The two most
important sources whose hands and arms are infected with boils and carbuncles, which are
permitted to handle foods.

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