Clostridium species
Chapter 16 Clostridium species Genus Characteristics The Clostridium species are large (0.3–1.3 × 3–10 µm), Gram-positive, anaerobic, endospore-producing rods (the spores usually bulge the mother cell). All the pathogenic species are…
Antimicrobial agents
Chapter 6 Antimicrobial agents Antimicrobial susceptibility testing The purpose of antimicrobial susceptibility testing is to guide the clinician in the selection of an antimicrobial agent to which the clinical condition…
The Actinobacteria
Chapter 10 The Actinobacteria The class Actinobacteria comprises a heterologous group of procaryotes, containing some genera which have the ability to form Gram-positive, branching filaments of less than 1 μm in…
The dermatophytes
Chapter 38 The dermatophytes The dermatophytes are a group of closely related, septate fungi that require and use keratin for growth. They tend to be confined to the superficial integument…
The Mycoplasmas (class: mollicutes)
Chapter 35 The Mycoplasmas (class: mollicutes) The mollicutes are the smallest procaryotic cells capable of self-replication. The genomes of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species may be as small as 600 kb compared…
The streptococci and related cocci
Chapter 8 The streptococci and related cocci Genus Characteristics The streptococci and enterococci are Gram-positive cocci that occur singly, in pairs, or in chains of varying lengths. Each coccus is…
The spirochaetes
Chapter 31 The spirochaetes The order Spirochaetales includes the families Spirochaetaceae, Brachyspiraceae and Leptospiraceae. The genera of significance in animals and humans are Leptospira (Leptospiraceae), Treponema and Borrelia (Spirochaetaceae) and…
Mycobacterium species
Chapter 11 Mycobacterium species Genus Characteristics The mycobacteria usually form thin rods of varying lengths (0.2–0.6 × 1.0–10.0 µm). Sometimes branching filamentous forms occur but these easily fragment into rods. They…
