Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
DYPHTHERIAE
Abstract
Corynebacterium diphtheria is a pathogenic gram positive bacillus causing diphtheria
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
i
is a pathogenic gram positive bacteria, also known as Klebs-
Loffler bacillus. It was founded by Edwin Klebs and Friedrich Loffler, German bacteriologists
in 1884. It can produce diphtheria toxin that can cause pharyngitis and diphtheria. It was a
lethal disease but lately can be prevented quite easily with the use of vaccines.
Figure 1: Corynebacterium diphteriae in gram staining
ii
Corynebacterium diphtheria is pleomorphic, noncapsulated, gram positive bacteria with
colonial morphology differs by the subspecies. There are 4 recognized subspecies. All four of
them have toxigenic potential. Metachromatic granules can be seen with metachromatic
granules stain.
Figure 2: Metachromatic granules
iii
Figure 3: metachromatic granules in a special stain
iv
Corynebacterium can be cultured in a special medium called Lofflers medium
v
. This medium
containes horse serum, meat infusion and dextrose to provide amino acids and other
pcomplex nitrogenous substances to hold the development of the bacteria. With this
medium, a grayish membrane like the one on the patients tonsil can be seen on the
medium. With proper treatment, this medium can also be used to detect ascospores.
Corynebacterium diphteriae causes diphtheria by producing diphtheria toxins. These toxins
will alter protein function in the host by elongation factor (EF-2) deactivation which will
cause the pseudomembrane in the tonsils. These toxins are encoded in viral bacteriophages
transmitted from one bacteria to another.
Corynebacterium diphteriae infection can be spread by droplets, secretion or direct contact.
The infection is strictly spread between humans, but toxigenic corynebacterium strains can
be found in horses. With proper immunization, many countries has been freed from
endemic dyphteriae.
References
i
Murphy J. Medical Microbiology. 4
th
ed. Galveston (TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston;
1996. Chapter 32. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7971/
ii
http://www.idimages.org/images/organisms/A00007/A00007_01_h_lab.jpg
iii
http://faculty.lacitycollege.edu/hicksdr/metgran1.jpg
iv
http://adistain.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/m10.png
v
Perry C, Petran E. Routine laboratory examinations for C. diphtheria. J Lab. Clin. Med. 1939. 25:71-78.