This document summarizes key microbiological characteristics of gram positive cocci including staphylococci and streptococci. It describes how staphylococci such as Staphylococcus aureus appear as golden yellow colonies with beta hemolysis on blood agar and are catalase positive. It also discusses the coagulase test to differentiate S. aureus from other staphylococci. For streptococci such as Streptococcus pyogenes, it notes their appearance as pinpoint colonies with wide beta hemolysis on blood agar. The document also briefly mentions Lancefield grouping and characteristics of common pathogenic strains of S. pyogenes and S. agalactiae.

1. Dr. Manar Akas
Microbiology & Immunology
26/2/2015

4. Gram Positive cocci
• 1- staphylococci
• 2- streptococci
• 3- pneumococci
Staphylococcus streptococci

5. Staphylococci
-Staphylococcus aureus
• (culture)Growth on Blood agar:
• –yellow colonies (golden staph)
• –Narrow zone of beta hemolysis
• –Consistency of colonies is like butter,
can be picked up easily by bacterial loop.

6. Streptococci
-Streptococcus pyogenes
• (culture) Growth on Blood agar:
• –Pin point size colonies
• –Wide zone of beta hemolysis
• –Consistency of colonies is tough,
can not be picked up easily by
bacterial loop.

7. Catalase Test
Catalase production.
•is responsible for the splitting of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
into oxygen and water.
•The oxygen is detected as a steady evolution of gas bubbles
from the culture.

8. Staphylococci

12. • Coagulase test:
+ve : Staphylococcus aureus
-ve :
•Staphylococcus epidermidis
•Staphylococcus saprophyticus
•The enzyme coagulase
acts with a plasma factor
to convert fibrinogen to a
fibrin clot.
(clouding and solidification of plasma)
Staphylococcus aureus is known to produce
coagulase, which can clot plasma into gel in tube.
This test is useful in differentiating S.aureus from
other coagulase-negative staphylococci.

16. Streptococci

17. *Lancefield grouping is a method of grouping beta hemolytic bacteria based on the carbohydrate composition of bacterial antigens found on their cell walls.

19. s. pyogenes: I live in
the nose and mouth.
pharyngitis - 'strep
throat‘, abscesses,
otitis media and
sinusitis, cellulitis,
rashes, gangrene,
rheumatic fever and
toxic shock.
S. agalactiae: I'm a Gram
Positive coccus and a Beta
hemolytic strept.
In pregnant women, I cause
premature labor & urinary
tract infections - in the baby.
I cause pneumonia,
meningitis, shock and
bacteraemia.

21. -ve CAMP test
Group A streptococcus

23. Staph aureus ferments mannitol turns pink to yellow( due to acid production)
Staph epidermidis non mannitol fermenter> no color change( pink).

25. Thank you
Questions?