Difference between revisions of "Haemophilus species - Overview"
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{{review}} | {{review}} | ||
| − | [[File:haemophilus.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<small><center> Haemophilus influenzae. ((Bobjgalindo 2005, Wikimedia commons)</center></small>]] | + | {{Taxobox |
| + | |name =''Haemophilus'' | ||
| + | |phylum =Proteobacteria | ||
| + | |class =Gamma Proteobacteria | ||
| + | |order =Pasteurellales | ||
| + | |family =Pasteurellaceae | ||
| + | |genus =Haemophilus | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:haemophilus.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<small><center> ''Haemophilus influenzae''. ((Bobjgalindo 2005, Wikimedia commons)</center></small>]] | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
Revision as of 10:06, 29 July 2010
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| Haemophilus | |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Proteobacteria |
| Class | Gamma Proteobacteria |
| Order | Pasteurellales |
| Family | Pasteurellaceae |
| Genus | Haemophilus |
Overview
The Haemophilus species inhabit the mucosal epithelium of the upper respiratory and lower genital tract. They cause suppurative infections due to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, released from macrophages. This includes serofibrinous to fibrinopurative infections of the lungs, body cavities and joints. The colonisation of meningeal vessels causes a thrombotic vasculitis leading to encephalitis and meningitis.
Characteristics
Haemophilus species are morphologically variable Gram-negative bacilli, ranging from short rods to long filaments. They are facultative anaerobes and are typically oxidase positive. They depend on beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) (V factor) and/or Haemin (X fector) for growth.
Heated blood agar (Chocolate Agar) is required for growth of NAD-dependent strains. Haemin-dependent strains grow on Blood Agar but do not grow on MacConkey agar.