Staphylococci and Streptococci are often confused with every other, with a lot of people making use of both terms interchangeably to refer to certain pathogenic bacteria, which is an incorrect practice. Nonetheless, similar to staphylococci, certain group and strains of streptococcus are also pathogenic to humans. On the other hand, certain strains are known to be useful as well as advantageous. A close relative of the lactic acid bacteria, Strep bacteria shape is spherical as well as the bacterial organisms that comprise of this genus are all gram positive organisms. As numerous as 27 various species of bacteria are grouped under the Streptococcus genus.
Strep Bacteria and Humans
While a whole lot of Streptococcus species are pathogenic and are responsible for causing a number of bacterial diseases and infections like pneumonia, meningitis, inflammation of the endocardium (inner surface layer of the heart), sepsis (or bacteremia), flesh consuming illness, bacterial pharyngitis, etc. A whole lot of Streptococcus species are a part of the naturally occurring microbial flora of the mouth, intestines, skin and respiratory tract of humans and different other mammals. There are also particular Streptococcus species that are of great use to humanity. You might be surprised to understand that the poriferous Emmental cheese which may be the signature, world famous Swiss cheese assortment, utilizes Strep bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus, to be specific) as one of its simple ingredients! Let’s take a take a look at the pathogenic side of certain species of this genus of bacteria inside the following segment.
Strep Bacterial Infection
Some of essentially the most widespread infections and diseases caused by Streptococcus bacteria species contain dental caries, strep throat (bacterial pharyngitis), meningitis, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, Glomerulonephritis (the little blood vessels present in the kidneys become inflamed, causing a great deal of discomfort and might also result in partial to total renal failure in advanced cases), bacteremia (presence of bacteria in blood), urinary tract infection, etc. Strep bacteria species can be broadly classified under three elementary categories – Alpha Hemolytic, Beta Hemolytic and Gamma Hemolytic.
Before I proceed to obtain into further details of these three categories, let me tell you what alpha and beta hemolysis means, first. A bacterial strain is stated to be alpha hemolytic if its reaction with a blood agar sample causes the contents of the agar plate to turn dark greenish. A bacterial strain is said to be beta hemolytic if its reaction with a blood agar sample causes the latter to turn light yellowish and transparent. Gamma hemolytic bacteria do not trigger any change of color to blood agar plate contents on coming in contact with the exact same. Now, going back to the categories, the alpha and beta hemolytic bacteria are further classified into numerous sub groups.
Alpha hemolytic
Streptococcus bacteria are sub categorized as Pneumococci and Viridans. The former group comprises of just one species, the Streptococcus Pneumoniae, which causes bacterial pneumonia. The Viridans group consists of six Streptococcus species out of which only one, Streptococcus mutans, is somewhat pathogenic to humans as it causes dental cavities.
Beta hemolytic
Streptococcus bacteria are further classified as Group A, Group B, Group C and Group G, of which only the first 3 are mainly pathogenic in case of humans. Streptococcus agalactiae, which is actually a Group B beta hemolytic bacteria, will be the most commonly discovered strep bacteria in urine samples which indicates towards achievable UTI and bacterial colonization inside the female reproductive tract and intestinal recesses. Bacteriemia, which is caused by invasion of bloodstream by pathogenic bacteria, is most frequently caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, a beta hemolytic Group A strep bacteria in blood, though Group B Streps have also been know to be responsible for this condition. Group C and Group G species of Streptococcus don’t usually make humans sick, though infection might be contacted from other infected animals, particularly from canines and equines.
Gamma hemolytic
Streptococci are predominantly non pathogenic and don’t usually cause illnesses. Nonetheless, opportunistic pathogenesis in immunocompromised individuals or organisms might occur, though this is rare.
Based upon the kind of infection or illness and specific species of strep pathogen causing it, the pathophysiology of strep bacteria symptoms and indications differ from case to case. For instance, a person suffering from meningitis (inflammation of the meninges, which are outer membranes that defend the brain) will exhibit very diverse symptoms when compared to a person suffering from strep throat. Even so, fever, loss of appetite and malaise are typically present in all kinds of strep infections, be it strep throat, scarlet, meningitis, UTI or sepsis.