Gram Negative Bacilli (rods) of Medical Importance

Genus Yersinia
 Learning objective
• Identify different species of Yersinia.
• Describe characteristics of Yersinia
• Describe medical importance /diseases
Yersinia
• ; Describe diagnostic techniques for Yersini
• Describe drug of choice for Yersinia
 Characteristics of Yersinia
• Yersinia includes are short, pleomorphic
Gram-negative rods with bipolar staining.
• Catalase-positive,
• oxidase-negative, and
• Micro aerophilic or facultatively anaerobic.
• Most have animals as their natural hosts,
(Zoonotic )
• produce serious disease in humans
Yersinia species of medical importance

Yersinia pestis.
• cause of plague in human

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis .
• cause of disease which resembles tuberculosis

Yersinia enterocolitica. I
• mportant causes of human diarrhea diseases
 Yersinia Pestis
Characteristics of Yersinia Pestis
• Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative rod that exhibits bipolar
staining with characteristic safety pin appearance.
• Not motile
• Grows as a facultative anaerobe on many bacteriologic
media
• Growth is more rapid in media containing blood or tissue
fluids and fastest at 30 °C
• Aerobic
• Oxidase positive
 Diseases caused by Yersinia pestis
• Animals as their natural hosts (Zoonotic )
• Cause plague in human
 Lab Diagnosis for Yersina pestis
Specimen
• Blood
• Sputum
• Bubo aspirate
• CSF

Techniques
• Gram stain
• Culture
 Drug of choice for Yersinia pestis
• Gentamicin
• Streptomycin