Chapter 88: Pneumococcal Infections

MICROBIOLOGY

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a gram-positive coccus that grows in chains, causes α-hemolysis on blood agar, is bile soluble, and is sensitive to optochin.
  • Nearly every clinical isolate has a polysaccharide capsule that protects the bacteria from phagocytosis in the absence of type-specific antibody; 98 distinct capsules have been identified.

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.