
Is Streptococcus pneumoniae the same as pneumococcal pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria cause pneumococcal disease, but are also commonly found in the respiratory track of healthy people, especially children. There are 100 known serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease.
What is another name for pneumococcal pneumonia?
Pneumococcal [noo-muh-KOK-uhl] disease is a name for any infection caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus. Pneumococcal infections can range from ear and sinus infections to pneumonia and bloodstream infections. There are vaccines to help prevent pneumococcal disease.
What's different about pneumococcal pneumonia?
Pneumococcal pneumonia is not a cold or the flu. It is a bacterial lung disease, while the flu and cold are caused by viruses. In some cases, pneumococcal pneumonia can cause part of your lung to fill up with mucus, making it hard to breathe. You can catch pneumococcal pneumonia through coughing or close contact.
How is Streptococcus pneumoniae different?
Optochin testS. pneumoniae strains are sensitive to the chemical optochin (ethylhydrocupreine hydrochloride). Optochin sensitivity allows for the presumptive identification of alpha-hemolytic streptococci as S. pneumoniae, although some pneumococcal strains are optochin-resistant.
How do you know if you have pneumococcal pneumonia?
Symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia, a lung infection, include: Fever and chills. Cough. Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing.
What antibiotic kills Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Trovafloxacin is one of the fluoroquinolones active in vitro against S. pneumoniae, including strains resistant to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone (17).
How do you get Streptococcus pneumonia?
Many people carry the bacteria in their nose and throat without becoming ill. Streptococcus pneumoniae is spread from person to person by inhaling or direct exposure to the bacteria droplets through coughing or sneezing from an infected person.
What disease does Streptococcus pneumoniae cause?
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of ear infections (otitis media), sepsis (blood infection) in children as well as pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly. Streptococcus pneumoniae is considered "invasive" when it is found in the blood, spinal fluid or other normally sterile sites.
How is Streptococcus pneumoniae transmitted?
The main way people spread Streptococcus pneumoniae to others is through direct contact with respiratory droplets. The bacteria often spread within households and in crowded conditions. Pneumococcal infections are more common during the winter and early spring.
What does Streptococcus pneumoniae look like?
Streptococcus pneumoniae cells are Gram-positive, lancet-shaped cocci (elongated cocci with a slightly pointed outer curvature). Usually, they are seen as pairs of cocci (diplococci), but they may also occur singly and in short chains. When cultured on blood agar, they are alpha hemolytic.
What is the main cause of pathogenesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Virulence Factors. Streptococcus pneumoniae, like many other bacterial species, produces toxins that are harmful to its host, has several surface proteins and physical structures, which play a vital role in its pathogenesis (27).
Why is it important to distinguish Streptococcus pneumoniae from other streptococci?
Reliable distinction of Streptococcus pneumoniae and viridans group streptococci is important because of the different pathogenic properties of these organisms.
What is the scientific name for pneumonia?
The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is called pneumococcal pneumonia. Pneumococcal pneumonia is caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae germ that normally lives in the upper respiratory tract. It infects over 900,000 Americans every year.
What is the most common type of pneumococcal disease in adults?
Pneumonia. Pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common clinical presentation of pneumococcal disease among adults.
What causes Streptococcus pneumonia?
Causes. Many people carry the bacteria in their nose and throat without becoming ill. Streptococcus pneumoniae is spread from person to person by inhaling or direct exposure to the bacteria droplets through coughing or sneezing from an infected person.
What does staphylococcus pneumonia cause?
Staphylococcal pneumonia may also lead to complications such as sepsis, septic shock, bacteremia, and respiratory failure leading to invasive mechanical ventilation.