Staph Aureus Essay

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This paper will focus on one of the clinically significant forms of the Staphylococci family, called Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is a form of bacteria that is classified under the kingdom of Eubacteria, phylum Firmicutes, and more specifically the Genus of Staphylococcus. There are roughly thirty two species and eight sub species of the Staphylococci family, of which, only three are clinically significant. These three species are significant as they can be distinguished by coagulase production and novobiocin resistance. S. aureus has unique characteristics that cause it to interact with organisms in a manner that can cause pathogenic effects. This paper will go into depth on those specific biological characteristics, and conditions needed in order for S. aureus to live and interact with organisms in both the nonpathogenic and pathogenic manner.(1,4) S. aureus is a facultative anaerobic, meaning that S. aureus is an orgamism that is capable of growing in the presence of oxygen also in the absence of oxygen by aerobic respiration or by fermentation.(britanna) It is also non motile, non-spore forming, and has complex nutrient requirements. These nutrient requirements involve amino acids and B vitamins, due to requiring large supplies of nitrogen. Specific factors that separate S. aureus from other staphylococci are being catalase positive and oxidase negative. It is also very tolerant to high concentrations of salt and shows a low resistance to heat. S. aureus can occur singly, in pairs, and irregular clusters. S. aureus is a gram positive bacterium. This distinct property of the bacteria identifies the cell wall of the bacteria. The cell wall of S. aureus is roughly 40nm thick, and of which roughly fifty percent is composed of a peptidoglycan. Another component of the cell wall is a large integration of teichoic acids, roughly forty precent.

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