S. Pneumoniae Microbe

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S. Pneumoniae
Introduction
Even though some people have heard about S. pneumoniae, most people still need an in-depth understanding. This instance has prompted the rise of different myths regarding it. S. pneumoniae, also known as Streptococcus pneumoniae, refers to a lancet-shaped, facultatively anaerobic, gram-positive bacteria having more than 100 serotypes. Even though most S. pneumoniae serotypes have been believed to cause disease, only the least serotypes produce most pneumococcal infections. S. pneumoniae has been highlighted as the main cause of pneumoniae. However, despite this condition is common, it is usually hard to diagnose it. This reason is why it is important to understand S. pneumoniae and the outstanding measures that can be controlled to manage it.
The History of S. pneumoniae Microbe
Every individual must understand the history of S. pneumoniae since it will help them understand the steps that have been undergone, informing future decisions. The S. pneumoniae has a long history since Louis Pasteur first independently isolated it in 1880 in France. These bacteria were first traced from a patient's saliva who was having rabies. George M. Sternberg then isolated the bacteria in the USA. The bacteria were referred to as pneumococcus in 1886 since it was closely associated with pneumonia (MEVAcp). The bacteria was later renamed Diplococcus pneumoniae because it was regularly observed in pairs. The bacteria was later renamed S. pneumoniae because of its analogies in forming chains similar to other streptococcus spp.
S. pneumoniae Microbe Identity
Understanding that S. pneumoniae can sometimes happen as a single cocci or in cocci is critical. It is usually a fastidious bacterium whose optimum environment for growth is 35-37°C having ~5% CO2, or can also occur extracellularly or intracellularly as a gram-positive lanceolate diplococcus (CDC). In most instances, the S. pneumoniae is cultured on a media with. Moreover, there are other instances where it grows on a chocolate agar plate (CAP). If it is on the blood agar plate (BAP), the S. pneumoniae colonies are usually small, moist, and grey, while the colonies produce some alpha-hemolysis (green).
Even though the alpha-hemolytic characteristic helps to differentiate this organism from the varying species, it does not differentiate it from the commensal alpha-hemolytic (viridans) streptococci. In most instances, it is hard to differentiate the pneumococci from the viridans streptococci since the young pneumococcal colonies usually seem to be raised, which is the same feature for the viridans streptococci. Nevertheless, in most instances, the pneumococcal culture usually ages within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, making the following colonies flattened and maintaining their central position, depressed, and flatter than the viridans streptococci does not possess.
In most instances, the 30-50X microscope or a 3X hand lens is used to differentiate the viridans streptococci from the pneumococci. In most instances, the isolates are inspected before the identification and characterization testing procedures to determine the growth's purity. Moreover, the specialists should re-streak single colonies since they will help to attain a pure culture. These identification and characterization processes are critical for testing alpha-hemolytic colonies, which have existed for less than a day. Most are grown overnight when the conditions are maintained within 35-37°C and ~5% CO2.
There are various specialized tests applied to identify the colonies that are on BAP, which are similar to pneumococci. S. pneumoniae can either be identified by the catalase, optochin and most tests for Gram stain simultaneously and the bile solubility as its confirmatory test. In most instances, deoxycholate bile solubility has been highlighted as one of the most specific and sensitive assays to identify S. pneumoniae (Kellogg et al. 3373). The following tests show that the existing isolate is S. pneumoniae, the specialists can perform serological tests to determine whether the serotype can be conducted. In most instances, the testing sequence is usually an efficient way to save the person from the costly serotyping reagents while saving time.
In most instances, Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) is supposed to be used for work composed of S. pneumoniae isolates. The main reason is that the following organism represents the potential hazard exposed to the laboratory specialists and their surroundings. This reason caused the libertarians to overwork in the BSL-2 facilities are supposed to follow the set guidelines. For instance, the opening plates having live cultures are usually conducted outside the biosafety cabinet (BSC).
Pathogen Mechanism
In most instances, the S. pneumoniae infection happens in healthy individuals after oropharynx and nasopharynx colonization. In most instances, the colonies inhalation usually leads to lower airway infection (Kadioglu et al. 288). In most instances, the person will not have an infection unless the patient has been previously disposed to risk factors, infectious cell bolus, or due to virulent S. pneumoniae strain. In most instances, the capsule help in the S. pneumoniae pathogenesis. This bacteria is made of polysaccharides, which surround the given cell wall.
The capsule usually assists in phagocytosis escaping by limiting granulocytes' access to any underlying cell wall that could be existing. The following capsule polysaccharides usually help to identify the bacteria serotyping. Even though there are many serotypes, most serotypes that have been detected to cause infections are 6, 14, 18, 19, and 23 (Dion and Ashurst). In most instances, the strain's virulence is normally identified by its appearance, transparent and opaque types, on the culture media. Most opaque type is usually present in the brain, lung, and bloodstream infection, while the transparent type usually colonizes the region in the nasopharynx.
In most instances, the S. pneumoniae initially inhabit its hosts' mucosal surfaces in the nasopharynx. After this instance, the bacteria will then move to the lungs. This is a point where it will cause pneumococcal pneumonia. In most instances, when the infection happens in the lungs, it will cause the person to suffer from air sac inflammation, filling them with fluid. In most instances, the person will suffer from breathing. Most people with pneumonia are likely to suffer from shortness of breath, high heart rates, fevers, and frequent coughing (Brooks and Mias 4). Therefore, regardless of asymptomatic S. pneumoniae nasopharynx colonization, the person with a weak immune response or lack of clearance is at a higher risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia. This pneumonia is usually a health risk to people having reduced host defenses.
The next critical characteristic evident in the S. pneumoniae pathogenicity is its power to adhere to the respiratory epithelium and invasion. Pneumococcal disease usually occurs because of the outstanding inflammatory response induced by the complement activation of pathways. It can also occur due to cytokine release by autolysin, proteins, ...