| Microorganism |
Location/pathogenicity |
Key
properties |
| Staphylococcus
spp. |
Found
on the skin and mucous membranes. |
Catalase
positive, halotolerent,
Gram-positive cocci. |
| Staphylococcus
epidermidis |
Found
on the skin and mucous membranes, nonpathogenic |
Catalase
positive, halotolerent,
Gram-positive cocci, coagulase negative, does not ferment mannitol. |
| Staphylococcus
saprophyticus |
Found
on the skin and mucous membranes, nonpathogenic |
Catalase
positive, halotolerent,
Gram-positive cocci, coagulase negative. |
| Staphylococcus
aureus |
Found
on the skin and mucous membranes, is a pathogen which can cause
boils, abscesses, wound infections and toxic shock syndrome. |
Catalase
positive, halotolerent,
Gram-positive cocci, also b-hemolytic,
coagulase positive, ferments mannitol |
| Streptococcus
spp. |
|
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive
cocci. |
| Streptococcus
pyogenes |
Causes
"Strep Throat" and Scarlet Fever. |
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive cocci. Also b-hemolytic
and Taxos A sensitive. |
| Streptococcus
pneumoniae |
Responsible
for 70-90% of Bacterial Pneumonia, major nosocomial infection. |
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive cocci. Also a-hemolytic
and Taxos P sensitive. |
| Streptococcus
mitis |
Normal
flora |
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive cocci. Also a-hemolytic
and resistant to Taxos P. |
| Streptococcus
agalactiae |
|
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive cocci. CAMP + (definitive test), resistant to Taxos
A. |
| Streptococcus
mutans |
Normal
flora of the mouth, generally non-pathogenic, may cause dental carries. |
Catalase
negative, Gram-positive cocci, a or g hemolytic. |
| Enterobacteriacae |
Inhabit
the gut of warm blooded animals. |
Oxidase
negative, Gram-negative rods. |
| Escherichia
coli |
Inhabits
the gut of warm blooded animals, normal flora |
Oxidase
negative, Gram-negative rods, also positive for lactose
and glucose fermentation (produces gas). Nitrate positive, MR positive,
citrate negative. |
| Proteus
mirabilis |
Inhabits
the gut of warm blooded animals, frequently causes Urinary Tract
Infections (UTIs). |
Oxidase
negative, Gram-negative rods, also can reduce sulfate
to H2S, urease postive and citrate positive. |
| Shigella
dysenteriae |
Inhabits
the gut of warm blooded animals, pathogenic - causes bacillary dysentery. |
Oxidase
negative, Gram-negative rods, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic, do not
ferment lactose. |
| Pseudomonas
spp. |
|
Oxidase
positive, generally motile, Gram-negative rods. |
| Pseudomonas
aeruginosa |
Opportunistic
pathogen that causes disease in immuno-compromised individuals. |
Oxidase
positive, generally motile, Gram-negative rods., carbohydrate nonfermentor,
nitrate positive. |
| Bacillus
subtilis |
Found
in soil, non-pathogenic. |
Gram-positive,
aerobic, spore forming rod. Positive for lipase, a-amylase
and oligo-1,6-glucosidase production. |
| Bacillus
anthracis |
The
pathogen responsible for Anthrax. |
Gram-positive,
spore forming rod. |
| Saccharomyces
cerevisiae |
Used
in baking and in wine and beer production. Found in soil, leaves
and fruit. Not pathogenic. |
Unicellular,
eukaryotic fungus. Cells are larger than most bacterial cells. Yeast
reproduce asexually by budding or transverse division. |
| Clostridium
botulinum |
Found
in the intestines of animals. Pathogenic - food poisoning via botulinum
neurotoxin. |
Motile,
anaerobic, endospore-forming, Gram-positive rod. |
| Mycobacterium
smegmatis |
Found
on skin and mucous membranes, non-pathogenic |
Acid-fast,
non-sporing, Gram-positive rod. |
| Mycobacterium
tuberculosis |
Is
the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis. |
Nonmotile,
acid-fast, non-sporing, Gram-positive rod. |
| Klebsiella
pneumoniae |
Found
in soil, water, grain, fruits, vegetables and in the intestinal
tracts of humans and animals. Causes septicemia, enteritis and meningitis
in infants. |
Non-motile,
encapsulated, facultatively anearobic, Gram-negative rod. |
