Actinomyces species are anaerobic or microaerophilic, nonsporulating, nonmotile gram-positive bacteria that have a filamentous and branching structure. Infection caused by these bacteria is termed actinomycosis, which often presents as an indolent granulomatous, suppurative process with potential for direct extension to…
Listeriosis in humans is caused principally by Listeria monocytogenes, 1 of 6 species of the genus Listeria that are widely distributed in the environment and throughout the food chain. Human infections can usually be traced to an animal reservoir. Infection…
Diphtheria is an acute toxic infection caused by Corynebacterium species, typically Corynebacterium diphtheriae and, less often, toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium ulcerans. Although diphtheria was reduced from a major cause of childhood death to a medical rarity in the Western hemisphere…
Enterococcus has long been recognized as a pathogen in select populations and has become a common and particularly troublesome cause of hospital-acquired infection over the past 2 decades. Formerly classified with Streptococcus bovis and Streptococcus equinus as Lancefield group D…
You’re Reading a Preview Become a Clinical Tree membership for Full access and enjoy Unlimited articles Become membership If you are a member. Log in here
Group B streptococcus ( GBS ), or Streptococcus agalactiae, is a major cause of neonatal bacterial sepsis in the United States. Although advances in prevention strategies have led to a decline in the incidence of neonatal disease, GBS remains a…
Group A streptococcus ( GAS ), also known as Streptococcus pyogenes, is a common cause of infections of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis) and the skin (impetigo, pyoderma) in children. Less frequently, GAS causes perianal cellulitis, vaginitis, septicemia, pneumonia, endocarditis,…
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an important pathogen that kills more than 1 million children each year. Childhood pneumococcal disease is prevalent and typically severe, causes numerous clinical syndromes, and is a major cause of life-threatening pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis. Antimicrobial…
Staphylococci are hardy, aerobic, gram-positive bacteria that grow in pairs and clusters and are ubiquitous as normal flora of humans and present on fomites and in dust. They are resistant to heat and drying and may be recovered from nonbiologic…
Antibacterial therapy in infants and children presents many challenges. A daunting problem is the paucity of pediatric data regarding pharmacokinetics and optimal dosages; as a consequence, pediatric recommendations are frequently extrapolated from adult studies. A 2nd challenge is the need…