Canadian Medical Guide > Organisms > Bacteria > Gram-Positive Bacteria > Gram-Positive Cocci > Streptococcaceae > Streptococcus Terms and Definitions
Streptococcus
Medical Definition: | A genus of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria whose organisms occur in pairs or chains. No endospores are produced. Many species exist as commensals or parasites on man or animals with some being highly pathogenic. A few species are saprophytes and occur in the natural environment. |
Guide Notes: | GEN or unspecified; prefer specifics; hemolytic streptococci = STREPTOCOCCUS unless specified in text as S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae, etc.; group A = STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES; B = STREPTOCOCCUS AGALACTIAE; D = ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS; ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM; STR |
Streptococcus agalactiae - A bacterium which causes mastitis in cattle and occasionally in man. | |
Streptococcus bovis - A species of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria commonly found in the alimentary tract of cows, sheep, and other ruminants. It occasionally is encountered in cases of human endocarditis. This species is nonhemolytic. | |
Streptococcus equi - A species of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria isolated from abscesses in submaxillary glands and mucopurulent discharges of the upper respiratory tract of horses. This organism belongs to Group C streptococci with regards to antigen response and is known to cause strangles. The subspecies S. zooepidemicus is also considered a pathogen of horses. | |
Streptococcus pneumoniae - A gram-positive organism found in the upper respiratory tract, inflammatory exudates, and various body fluids of normal and/or diseased humans and, rarely, domestic animals. | |
Streptococcus pyogenes - A species of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria isolated from skin lesions, blood, inflammatory exudates, and the upper respiratory tract of humans. It is a group A hemolytic Streptococcus that can cause SCARLET FEVER and RHEUMATIC FEVER. Unlike the docile strains that cause strep throat, however, the virulent strains penetrate deep into the body, with catastrophic results. It has been demonstrated that invasive streptococcus A infections can trigger a toxic shock syndrome, chew up muscle (MYOSITIS), or destroy the sheath that covers the muscle (FASCIITIS, NECROTIZING). | |
Streptococcus suis - A species of STREPTOCOCCUS isolated from pigs. It is a pathogen of swine but rarely occurs in humans. | |
Viridans Streptococci - A large heterogeneous group of mostly alpha-hemolytic streptococci. They colonize the respiratory tract at birth and generally have a low degree of pathogenicity. This group of species includes STREPTOCOCCUS MITIS; STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS; STREPTOCOCCUS ORALIS; STREPTOCOCCUS SANGUIS; STREPTOCOCCUS SOBRINUS; and the STREPTOCOCCUS MILLERI GROUP. The latter are often beta-hemolytic and commonly produce invasive pyogenic infections including brain and abdominal abscesses. |
Streptococcus Medical Definitions and Terms
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