Staphylococcus Aureus Research Paper

The Staphylococcus aureus bacteria belongs to the Staphylococcaceae family. It is small, round shaped, and non-motile. Staphylococcus aureus stains gram positive and can often be found in small clusters (Mandal, 2010). It often forms chains and is a large contributor of soft tissue infections. It is of a yellow color, hence the name ?aureus? which comes from the Latin term ?aurum? for gold (Orenstein, n.d.). Staphylococcus aureus is found in a few spots on the human body, such as the nasal passage, the skin, the oral cavity, and even the gastrointestinal tract. Staphylococci and Streptococci are two different strands of the bacteria and are very hard to distinguish from one another. In order to tell the difference between them, without a microscope, a catalase test needs to be performed. The test is undergone by adding 3% hydrogen peroxide to both samples. Since Staphylococci are catalase positive, meaning they produce catalase, they will produce O? while the Streptococci will not because Streptococci are catalase negative (Todar, n.d.).

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacterium. It is accountable for numerous conditions when it crosses the threshold into the human body. The bacterium may also be referred to as a ‘Staph infection’. There are more than 28 different types of staphylococcus aureus that are responsible for cellulitis, blood poisoning, and various others. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is also a type of staphylococcus aureus. Staph infections are curable with different antibiotics.

Antibiotic resistant infections are not only increasing, but intensifying exponentially. Even worse, there are few drugs readily available to diminish the swelling number of contagions; a sparse and meager quantity of combatants to tackle the vehement and aggressive pathogenic bacterium. These microscopic organisms, though infinitesimal, cause gigantic problems and wreak extra havoc when they attack the drugs prescribed to destroy and eradicate them, and survive. In culmination, they are more resilient, more powerful than ever before. Many of these superbugs are stronger and more alive, violently destroying the immune system of the body that has become their habitat, instead of ultimately dying. The tiny,

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a bacterium that is resistant to many available high- level beta-lactam antibiotics, which include penicillins, “antistaphylococcal” penicillins and cephalosporins. Staphyloccoci are the most important bacteria that cause disease in humans. MRSA is sometimes branded as a nosocomial infection as it usually plagues patients that are receiving treatment in a hospital. The skin is the most common site of infection, where MRSA can cause cellulitis, folliculitis, or boils in the skin, but can also commonly be found in the nose, underarm, groin, upper respiratory tract, intestine, vagina and rectal areas of the body. MRSA infections occur with there is a break in the skin that allows the Methicillin resistant

In today’s society it has become apparent that “antibiotic-resistant superbugs are the world’s greatest threat to humans now, and into the future. (UQ contact, 2015). In recent years’ bacteria and superbugs have adapted to resist multiple antibiotics including the last line drugs, causing large concern among the medical industry. Staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as golden staph is a fine example of an antibiotic resistant superbug. Golden staph is becoming more excessively resistant to the most powerful of antibiotics, due to the excessive use of antibiotics the bacteria has mutated drug resistant strains, causing havoc among Australian hospitals.

The purpose of this project was to identify the identities of two unknown bacteria in a mixed broth culture by using several separation methods. To separate the organisms, a four-way streak plate technique was used to isolate the two unknown bacteria into separate visible colonies. Then after each colony were clearly isolated; the two unknowns were processed through Gram staining test to determine the Gram stain and morphology. After Gram staining, a carbohydrate test was performed on each unknown to determine if it had glucose, sucrose, or lactose fermentation. The results of the sugar test help determining which biochemical test should be performed next. The Gram positive organism was tested through a carbohydrate fermentation test, then further tested to confirm its identity through an indole and catalase test. The Gram negative organism was tested through carbohydrate fermentation test, then further tested to confirmed its identity through an indole, and TSIA test. After running four biochemical tests, the results conclude that the Gram positive unknown was Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus was identified based on the fermentation results of the glucose test, negative indole test, and a positive catalase production. S. aureus is a Gram positive circular shaped bacterium that is very common in the U.S and is normally found in the nose, respiratory tract, and on the skin. This bacterium is usually the most common cause of infections after injury or surgery.

Staphylococcus aureus is a cluster bacterium that can be found on the skin of around 25% of healthy adults. This bacterium is growing everyday all over the world and many people have no idea they are even carriers. “Staphylococcus aureus is present in the nose of adults (temporarily in 60% and permanently in 20 to 30%) and sometimes on the skin” (Levison). This bacterium has the ability to cause skin infection and sometimes may lead to severe life threatening diseases. There are several different strains of staphylococcus and depending on the severity of the infection is how a health care provider decides the treatment most efficient. Impetigo is more common in children, but adults still have the chance of getting this skin condition. Toxic Shock Syndrome is also associated with S. aureus and is found in at least 50% of the cases to date. S. aureus can display a variety of symptoms and all vary with the disease at hand. Symptoms can range from a boil on the skin or in the nose to skin rashes. More severe symptoms can be carbuncles and infection of the blood (sepsis).Staphylococcus aureus is an ugly bacterium; that can lead to several diseases, such as Toxic Shock Syndrome and Impetigo. S. aureus has multiple symptoms and is treated with a variety of antibiotics.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureas (MRSA) is one of the most dangerous strains of Staphylococcus Aureas that causes life-threatening pneumonia, bloodstream infections and surgical site infections in medical facilities (CDC, 2015).

Before the turn of the 21st century, physicians across the country were realizing that the possibility of being able to treat and cure virtually any microbial infection with the use of a single or a combination of antimicrobial medications was becoming more and more of a challenge. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, reports of pathogenic resistance to even the most potent antimicrobial medications of the time were being sent to the Centers for Disease Control. Among even the most dangerous pathogens that have developed and are developing drug resistance to one or many antimicrobials, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is perhaps a case in which the world is most familiar and of the greatest concern within the medical community due to its natural virulence-its ability to cause a multitude of life-threatening infections, and its above average ability to combat and adapt to a vast array of environmental conditions.

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen found mainly on skin, nose and respiratory tract 1 The gram positive facultative anaerobe is round. Transmission occurs through humans or animals, exposure to contaminated surfaces or enterotoxins presence in food 2 . Most susceptible are newborns, young children and the elderly due to reduced immune function 3, 4. Immunocompromised individuals diagnosed ( ie. AIDS, HIV, Crohn’s etc.) assume greater risk of infection 3, 5 . S. aureus causes many diseases including food poisoning, endocarditis, skin/soft tissue (enterotoxin caused scaled skin and abscess) and pleuropulmonary infections (ex. pneumonia), osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and bacteremia 2, 3. In health care settings S. aureus colonies

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been a type of multidrug resistant organism and staph bacteria known to cause serious infection that can lead to long hospitalizations and death. It can begin as a simple infection on skin or in the lungs, and if left untreated, can lead to traveling to the bloodstream and causing sepsis (“Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 2015”). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 33 percent of individuals carry the staph bacteria intranasally and two percent of individuals carry MRSA (“Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 2015”). Even though this is a serious issue among healthcare settings all over the country, the number of people affected

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of human bacterial infections worldwide1, and following the discovery and widespread utilization of antibiotics, S. aureus has evolved to become resistant to a number of antimicrobial treatments. Most notably, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains have acquired the mecA gene, encoding the penicillin binding protein (PBP2a), which confers resistance to oxacillin and all β-lactam antibiotics 2. These characteristics, combined with other virulence factors, have made MRSA infections difficult to treat, and lead to MRSA being recognized as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality 3. MRSA is also the leading cause of nosocomial infections4–6, contributing significantly to increased healthcare costs 7. CDC estimated in 2008 that MRSA was responsible for 89,785 cases of disease, causing 15,249 deaths in the US8.

Staphylococcus aureus is a foodborne pathogen that is considered one of the world’s leading causes of disease outbreaks related with food consumption. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are a series of intracellular proteins that are primarily produced by S. aureus strains. Approximately 30-50% of S. aureus strains that colonize in the humans can be enterotoxigenic.

The release of two exotoxins from certain strains of S. aureus can lead to Staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome (SSSS), which is characterized by blistering skin. Invasion into the body can lead to more serious health problems including pneumonia (a frequent complication of influenza), mastitis, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), meningitis, and urinary tract infections. If the bacterium is allowed to colonize even deeper tissues more serious conditions such as osteomyelitis and endocarditis may result. The most serious consequences of these deeper tissue infections occur when the bacterium invades the bloodstream leading to septic shock and possibly death.

Staphylococcus aureus is Gram-Positive bacteria and is non-moving small round shaped or non-motile cocci. It is named staphylococcus because it is found to exist in a grape-like cluster (Mandal, 2012). Food poisoning from these bacteria is caused by the bacteria multiplying in foods and produce toxins especially if food is kept at room temperature. The toxins may be present in dangerous amounts in foods but do not show any signs of spoilage (WebMD, 2015). Staphylococcus aureus is transmitted through air droplets or aerosol. About 30% of healthy humans carry Staphylococcus aureus in their nose, back of the throat and on their skin. Therefore, when an infected person coughs or sneezes, he or she infects others by releasing numerous small droplets