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    Bacillus

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    Cătălina Procopie
    Bacillus spp. are Gram-positive or variable bacilli that can produce endospores. They are ubiquitous in the environment and can survive in extreme conditions. Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax and is an important pathogen. It forms spores that can survive for decades. Anthrax primarily affects herbivores and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animal products. Clinical forms include cutaneous, inhalation, and gastrointestinal anthrax. B. anthracis is rarely seen but can be used as a bioweapon. Other Bacillus species like B. cereus can also cause foodborne disease.

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    Bacillus

    Uploaded by

    Cătălina Procopie
    45 views18 pages
    Bacillus spp. are Gram-positive or variable bacilli that can produce endospores. They are ubiquitous in the environment and can survive in extreme conditions. Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax and is an important pathogen. It forms spores that can survive for decades. Anthrax primarily affects herbivores and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animal products. Clinical forms include cutaneous, inhalation, and gastrointestinal anthrax. B. anthracis is rarely seen but can be used as a bioweapon. Other Bacillus species like B. cereus can also cause foodborne disease.

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    Bacillus spp. are Gram-positive or variable bacilli that can produce endospores. They are ubiquitous in the environment and can survive in extreme conditions. Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax and is an important pathogen. It forms spores that can survive for decades. Anthrax primarily affects herbivores and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animal products. Clinical forms include cutaneous, inhalation, and gastrointestinal anthrax. B. anthracis is rarely seen but can be used as a bioweapon. Other Bacillus species like B. cereus can also cause foodborne disease.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    45 views18 pages

    Bacillus

    Uploaded by

    Cătălina Procopie
    Bacillus spp. are Gram-positive or variable bacilli that can produce endospores. They are ubiquitous in the environment and can survive in extreme conditions. Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax and is an important pathogen. It forms spores that can survive for decades. Anthrax primarily affects herbivores and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animal products. Clinical forms include cutaneous, inhalation, and gastrointestinal anthrax. B. anthracis is rarely seen but can be used as a bioweapon. Other Bacillus species like B. cereus can also cause foodborne disease.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 18

    Bacillus spp.

    General Characteristics of Bacillus


     ~ 60 species; Gram-positive or Gram-variable bacilli
    • Large (0.5 x 1.2 to 2.5 x 10 um)
    • Most are saprophytic contaminants or normal flora
    • Bacillus anthracis is most important member
     Produce endospores
     Aerobic or facultatively anaerobic
     Catalase positive
    • Rapidly differentiates from Clostridium spp.
     Bacillus spp. are ubiquitous
    • Soil, water, and airborne dust
    • Thermophilic (< 75°C) and psychrophilic (>5-8°C)
    • Can flourish at extremes of acidity & alkalinity (pH 2 to 10)
    Diseases Associated with Bacillus
    Laboratory Characteristics of Bacillus

     On blood agar
    • Large, spreading, gray-white colonies, with irregular
    margins
    • Many are beta-hemolytic (helpful in differentiating various
    Bacillus species from B. anthracis)
     Spores seen after several days of incubation, but not
    typically in fresh clinical specimens
    Bacillus anthracis
    Summary of
    B. anthracis
    Infections
    Summary of
    B. anthracis
    Infections
    (cont.)
    Epidemiology of Bacillus anthracis

     Rare in the Romania; Enzootic in certain countries


    (e.g., Turkey, Iran, Pakistan,and Sudan)
     Anthrax spores infectious for decades
    • Biologic warfare experiments (annual tests for 20 years)
     Gruinard, off western coast of Scotland
     Eliminated in 1987
     Used in bioterrorist attacks after 9/11 (2001)

     Three well-defined cycles


    • Survival of spores in the soil
    • Animal infection
    • Infection in humans
    Epidemiology of Bacillus anthracis
    (cont.)
     Primarily a disease of herbivorous animals
     Most commonly transmitted to humans by direct
    contact with animal products (e.g., wool and hair)
     Also acquired via inhalation & ingestion
    • Increased mortality with these portals of entry
     Still poses a threat
    • Importing materials contaminated with spores from these
    countries (e.g., bones and other materials)
    • Usually encountered as an occupational disease
    • Veterinarians, agricultural workers
    Clinical Anthrax
    Cutaneous Anthrax
     95% human cases are cutaneous infections
     1 to 5 days after contact
     Small, pruritic, non-painful papule at inoculation site
     Papule develops into hemorrhagic vesicle & ruptures
     Slow-healing painless ulcer covered with black scar
    surrounded by edema
     Infection may spread to lymphatic w/ local adenopathy
     Septicemia may develop
     20% mortality in untreated cutaneous anthrax
    Clinical Anthrax
    Inhalation Anthrax
     Virtually 100% fatal (pneumonic)
     Meningitis may complicate cutaneous and
    inhalation forms of disease
     Pharyngeal anthrax
    • Fever
    • Pharyngitis
    • Neck swelling
    Clinical Anthrax
    Gastrointestinal (Ingestion) Anthrax
     Virtually 100% fatal
     Abdominal pain
     Hemorrhagic ascites
     Paracentesis fluid may reveal gram-positive rods
    Treatment & Prophylaxis
     Treatment
    • Ciprofloxacin and Penicillin are drugs of choice
    • Erythromycin, chloramphenicol acceptable alternatives
    • Doxycycline now commonly recognized as
    prophylactic

     Vaccine (controversial)
     Laboratory workers
     Employees of mills handling goat hair
     Active duty military members
    Key Characteristics of B. anthracis & Other
    Species of Bacillus
    Characteristic Bacillus anthracis Other Bacillus spp.
    Hemolysis Neg Pos
    Motility Neg Pos (usually)
    Gelatin hydrolysis Neg Pos
    Salicin fermentation Neg Pos
    Growth on PEA
    blood agar Neg Pos
    Bacillus cereus
    B. cereus
    Infections
    B. cereus Infections (cont.)
    Foodborne Diseases of B. cereus
    (Intoxication) (Foodborne Infection)

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