Essays on Streptococcus

Hi. I am streptococcus bacterium. I belong in the family Streptococcaceae. My name streptococcus means twisted berry which describes mu characteristic grouping in chains which looks like a string of beads. I am nonmotile and gram positive. I am a common type of prokaryote. I can cause various diseases in humans and animals. If I were to look for a partner, I want something that thrives in the anus, pharynx, and skin because these are my carrier state. I can also look for a partner in raw milk and contaminated foods like eggs and milk. For me, the dirtier ...

Pathophysiology of Rheumatic Fever

Introduction Rheumatic Fever (RF) is the type of inflammatory disease that can develop due to untreated or inadequately treated throat infection (scarlet fever or strep throat) caused by a type of bacteria known as streptococcus (Carapetis, McDonald & Wilson, 2005). This paper is going to cover pathophysiology of the Rheumatic Fever. It will begin with the symptoms associated with RF. A description of mechanisms or processes that take place in a person infected with RF will be described. This will be followed by a discussion of the causes of RF. There is a section dedicated to the pathophysiology of RF ...

Qualitative research is relatively new to nursing research. Despite its being usually underused and undervalued, qualitative research is increasingly contributing to nursing knowledge (Hall, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to compare qualitative and quantitative research in order to examine their differences. The comparison will be done by examining an article using the qualitative method and two articles using the quantitative method. All articles are on the same topic, cystic fibrosis. All articles were published in well-known and reputable journals. The qualitative article is by Carpenter and Narsavage (2004) and the quantitative ones are by De Bias, et ...

The purpose of this paper is to review the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, inheritance patterns, and recent advances in disease management of cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive and lethal disease resulting from an autosomal recessive gene (Singh, Rebordosa, Bernholz, & Sharma, 2015). The major problem associated with cystic fibrosis is the repeated lung infections that over time severely damage the lungs, scar and widen the passageways and limit the ability to breathe (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, n.d.). As of 2013, there are an estimated 70,000 cystic fibrosis patients globally with 33,000 of them in the United States ( ...

Introduction

The treatment for multitudes of diseases and disorders resulting from genetic reasons have been ambiguous since long as the only cure could be the correction of genes and DNA in the specific region. Gene therapy gave a promising horizon to the correction of such genetic defects whereby molecular tools are applied to reverse the mutation or any other changes in the DNA. The advancing biomedical research have offered several tools for gene therapy since last few decades that have been able to perform the desired roles but with one or the other limitations. Lately, CRISPR-Cas9 based tools for gene ...

Article #1:

The article focussed on the breeding behaviours of emperor penguins that are recently discovered with the help of satellites. Mostly it is believed that penguins lay their eggs on sea ice that is fast and stable and that remains intact under the chick fledge. Fretwell and co-workers conducted this study on forty-six colonies emperor penguins. The recent observation revealed that few colonies of emperor penguins breed on ice-shelves instead of sea ice. Due to rapid climate changes and the incidence of ice melting the penguin population has declined and very close to extinction. It is a big concern that ...

Infection in cancer patient with febrile neutropenia: epidemiology, microbiology and management

Abstract Febrile neutropenia (FN) is characterised by a decrease in neutrophils number to values below 500 cells/ mm3 and an occurrence of fever higher or similar to 38.3ºC. It commonly occurs in cancer patients as a result of chemotherapy regimens. Chemotherapy destroys carcinogenic cells but also attacks in many cases some normal cells including essential elements of the immune system. Fever is one of the characteristic symptoms of FN and is usually associated with the presence of an infection caused by various microorganisms. Bacteria, including Gram-positive isolates (currently dominating) and Gram-negative species (dominant in the 1970s), are usually ...

Specific Aims

Alpha Amylace (-Amylase) which is the most abundant enzyme in human saliva contributes to the formation of plaque (film of bacteria and mucus deposited on teeth that encourages the formation of dental caries). The alpha-amylase does this by acting as an ion or a molecule for the binding of Amylace-Binding Streptococci (ABS) to teeth. The aim of this project is to address the association of ABS on dental plaque which can be applied in future studies and clinical applications. The association will use quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine the amount of ABS relative to the total bacteria in ...

Introduction

Capsular polysaccharides are of high molecular mass and low molecular weight cell-surface polysaccharides of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Wang et al. 2000). They facilitate evading the immune system; therefore, the production and extraction of this layer is a prospective therapeutic target (rcsb.org). In the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, strain TIGR4 the Cps4B is tyrosine protein phosphatase CpsB. The phosphatases have capability to dephosphorylate their analogous autokinases, instead of their similar functionality equivalence; they don’t demonstrate sequence homology. This capsule or CPS act as an interface border between a microbe and its environment that presents an expansive biological and clinical significance. ...

Abstract

It is disheartening to stand and watch infants and children come for clinical checkups and get pumped with one antibiotic after another. Sad still is the fact that most parents tend to believe that by so doing, they are helping their children overcome illnesses. Acute otitis media, an occurrence that is quite prone to children between two months and two years, has shown warring trend lately. The challenge that is present is in the fact that enormous works have supported antibiotic administration to cure and curb the spread of the infections. However, it is not until lately that the ...

Virtual Lab Report

Virtual Lab 1: Virtual Microscopy A. Gauge the size of various biological components and organisms. The Virtual Microscope (copy and paste this address into a new browser window: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/scale/ ) can be used to make these observations. Estimate the size (length and width in microns) of An E.Coli cell is around 0.5µm in width and around 2µm in length. A mitochondrion is around 0.5µm in width and approximately 10µm in length. A Red blood cell is around 5.5µm in width and 7.5µm in length. A virus is approximately 0.25µm in width and ...

Introduction

Bacterial meningitis is an infection that affects the meninges, the cerebrospinal fluid and the spinal cord that causes death and disability in a number of people worldwide. This is a highly contagious airborne disease that is spread through the transmission of three organisms present in the respiratory secretions: Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The onset or origins of the disease varies among different age groups and geographic locations. According to estimates, 200,000 people die annually of meningitis. Case fatality rates vary with age at time of illness and also depend on the particular bacterial strain causing the infection ( ...

Introduction

Rheumatic fever (RF), or acute rheumatic fever (ARF), is an autoimmune complication caused by the human-specific bacterial pathogen group A (B-hemolytic) streptococcus (GAS), Streptococcus pyogenes. S. pyogenes is a Gram-positive aerobic bacterium that is coccoid or spherical in shape and usually occurs in pairs or chains. It produces hemolysin that forms a clear zone around the colonies when grown on blood agar. It has been designated as part of group A via Lancefield serotyping because it displays the carbohydrate antigen A on its cell wall. It is non acid-fast, non-spore forming, and may or may not have capsules. It has generally ...

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms. Microorganisms are those organisms that are less than a millimeter in size and require the help of a microscope to view them. Microorganisms can be unicellular or multicellular but have very simple cell structure, unlike the highly developed, complex organisms such as larger animals and humans. Microorganisms are classified based on criteria such as their cell structure, pattern of growth, nutrition, reproduction method, etc. However, microbial classification is a challenging task due to the dual nature of some microorganisms that exhibit both animal and plant like characteristics. Some microorganisms are photosynthetic like plants but they also ...

Of principal concern is the prevention and control of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) by medical practitioners in intensive care units (ICUs). VAP is one of the most frequently reported infections acquired by patients under mechanical ventilation healthcare. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) persists to be a frequent and potentially deadly complication of ventilator care (Chulay, 2005), often occurring within environments characteristic of the intensive care unit (ICU) that are high-tech and high touch. Patients who are ventilated and intubated present the unique challenge for critical care registered nurses (RNs) to incorporate evidence-informed practices concerning the delivery of high-quality care (Crunden, 2005). Ventilator-Associated ...

Nursing home pneumonia has been identified as a Healthcare-Acquired Pneumonia (HCAP); the disease is caused by Streptococcus Pneumoniae (Evelyn, 2002). The research aimed at analyzing different characteristics of the disease; the main areas that the research focused on were causes of pneumonia and then treatment plan. The article in the web discussed the guidelines for treatment of the disease. The disease is caused by Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Aureus, and Enteric Gram-Negative pathogens (Myolette, 2002). The disease affects a person whose body cannot resist these pathogens; the part of the body associated with the disease is the respiratory system that is made ...

(City, State) Lactic acid fermentation refers to a biological process where sugars such as fructose, glucose, and sucrose undergo conversion to form cellular energy lactic acid. The process is an anaerobic kind of fermentation reaction and takes place in a number of bacteria as well as in animal cells like the muscle cells (Campbell & Reece, 2005). The application of lactic acid fermentation is broad especially in the food industry (Tempeh, 2008). Some of the bacteria that are involved in the production of lactic acid include pediococcus cerevisiae, leuconostoc mesenteroides, bifidobacterium bifidus, and streptococcus lactis (Tempeh, 2008). The process is also ...

Industrial microbiology has helped greatly in the discovery and development of substances that we use in our day to day life. It applies scientific and bioengineering techniques to processes and materials. Microorganisms produce valuable products of industrial microbiology.(Law 15) They include; Antibiotics, fermentation beverages, enzymes for amino acids synthesis, dairy products, and recovery of minerals from low grade ores, waste and waste water management, Biodegradation of xenobiotics, synthesis of chemotherapy drugs, just to name but a few. It’s a field that requires people to research on existing problems find or discover new products, get ways of producing and commercializing ...

Group B Streptococcus Testing

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Testing is a medical procedure that screens for the presence of the GBS bacteria in a pregnant woman’s body. It is important for this test to be performed because a GBS infection during pregnancy can cause neonatal meningitis, sepsis, or even death (Albouy-Llaty, Nadeau, Descombes, Pierre & Migeot, 2012). According to Mercer, Ramsey & Sibai (1995), 18 to 32 percent of congenital infections are caused by neonatal sepsis and can be a major cause of mortality and morbidity where 1.3 to 3 per 1000 neonates are affected by the early onset of Group B streptococcal sepsis. Valkenburg-van den ...

Background information

According to the United Nations, homelessness has become “an increasing social and public health problem worldwide”. There are various states of homelessness. Absolute homelessness refers to “conditions of persons without physical shelter”. Relative homelessness refers to a state in which one has some form of physical shelter but the shelter does not meet the required health and safety standards. For instance, it has poor sanitation and access to water is limited or non-existent. Estimates reveal that over 100 million individuals are homeless worldwide. In the United States of America, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that about ...

Pathogenic and Non-pathogenic Organisms

Similarities in both organisms include the fact that both organisms are non-sporulating. Although, not the only metabolite, Salmonella enterica can produce lactate as one of its metabolite while Lactococcus lactis produces lactate. Both organisms are anaerobes, feeding by fermenting substrates (PHAC, 2010). Salmonella enterica ferments glucose while Lactococcus lactis ferments milk. Salmonella enterica is different from Lactococcus enterica in several ways. From gram staining, Salmonella enterica is a gram-positive organism while Lactococcus lactis is a gram-negative organism. At the level of feeding, Salmonella enterica feeds on a wide range of carbohydrates (PHAC, 2010). It is a heterofermentative organism whereas Lactococcus lactis is a ...

Why Pneumococcal Infections is a Global Health Problem

Pneumococcal infections are mainly caused by streptococcus pneumoniae also known as pneumococcus. Serious pneumococcal infections are a major global health problem. By the year 2010, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 1.6 million people – including more than 800,000 children under the age of 5 years – die every year from pneumococcal infections (Georgiev, 2009). Nearly all of these infections and deaths occur in the world’s poorest countries. These include Sub-Saharan African countries, Latin America, South Asia, some parts of Europe and Australia. In Latin America, epidemiological studies show that infants younger than 6 months have a higher risk ...

INTRODUCTION

General overview

Preparation of yoghurt takes place through milk fermentation process with various cultures of bacteria comprising of streptococcus subspecies mixed with lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies and thermophiles (Barbano, 2009). Basically, yoghurt comes in two types: distilled and set (Augustin et al., 2003). The author further explains there is a difference in the main procedure through which these yogurts are manufactured. In the set yoghurt (inclusive of fruit on the bottom), the formation takes place in retail pots as the fermentation of the lactic acid bacteria proceeds into lactic acid generating a structure of continuous gel in the container of the consumer. ...