Gram-positive bacteria
Gram-positive bacteria are a type of bacteria that are classified by the color they turn after a chemical called Gram stain is applied to them. Gram-positive bacteria turn blue when this stain is applied, while Gram-negative bacteria do not.
Characteristics[edit]
Gram-positive bacteria have a thick cell wall that is rich in peptidoglycan. This cell wall is responsible for the bacteria's ability to retain the Gram stain. In addition to the cell wall, some Gram-positive bacteria have a layer of polysaccharide or teichoic acid on their surface.
Types of Gram-positive bacteria[edit]
There are many types of Gram-positive bacteria, including:
Diseases caused by Gram-positive bacteria[edit]
Gram-positive bacteria can cause a variety of diseases, including:
- Staphylococcus aureus can cause skin infections, pneumonia, and food poisoning.
- Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media.
- Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium can cause urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and endocarditis.
- Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria.
- Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax, a rare but serious illness.
- Clostridium difficile causes infections that can range from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon.
Treatment[edit]
Gram-positive bacteria are usually sensitive to penicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics. However, some Gram-positive bacteria have developed resistance to these antibiotics, making treatment more difficult.
See also[edit]
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Gram stain of Bacillus anthracis
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Gram stain showing Gram-positive bacteria
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Diagram of Gram-positive cell wall
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Schematic of Gram-positive cell wall
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Classification of Gram-positive bacteria
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Structure of murein in Gram-positive bacteria
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Actinomyces species under microscope
