B A C ILLU S

By: MJ
BRIONES
BSN- II

Bacillus

Pathogenic

B. anthracis

B. cereus

Non-pathogenic
(Anthracoids)

e.g. B. subtilis

IN TRO D U CTIO N
Members of the genus Bacillus are

ubiquitous.
Present in Soil, Air, Dust, & Water.
Frequently isolated as CONTAMINANTS in
bacteriological culture media.
B. anthracis, the causative agent of
ANTHRX, is the most important pathogen.
B. cereus can cause FOOD POISOINING.
All members are generally MOTILE except
B. anthracis, which is NON-MOTILE.

B A C ILLU S

B acillus
Classification
All are large Gram-positive

bacilli
Are aerobic
Form endospores
Most are found in dust and soil
Bacillus anthracis is the major
pathogen in the group

G ram stain of Bacillus sp.

Endospores of Bacillus sp.

 Bacilli are an extremely diverse group of

bacteria that include both the causative

agent of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) as well
as several species that synthesize
important antibiotics. In addition to medical
uses, bacillus spores, due to their extreme
tolerance to both heat and disinfectants,
are used to test heat sterilization
techniques and chemical disinfectants.
Bacilli are also used in the detergent
manufacturing industry for their ability to
synthesize important enzymes.

 Bacilluscan be
thermophilic, psychrophilic,
acidophilic, alkaliphilic,
halotolerant, or halophilic and
are capable at growing at pH
values, temperatures, and salt
concentrations where few
other organisms can survive.

Clinicalsignifi
cance
TwoBacillusspecies are considered medically

significant:B. anthracis, which causesanthrax

, andB. cereus, which causesfood poisoning
similar to that caused byStaphylococcus.[4]A
third species,B. thuringiensis, is an important
insectpathogen, and is sometimes used to
control insect pests. Thetype speciesisB.
subtilis, an importantmodel organism. It is
also a notable food spoiler, causing ropiness
in bread and related food. Some
environmental and commercial strainsB.
coagulansmay play a role in food spoilage of
highly acidic, tomato based products.

Bacillus anthracis
G+B with square cut ends
Form endospores
Non-motile
Capsule made of glutamic acid

(a polypeptide).
The capsule is not found in cultured

bacteria
unless the bacteria are grown on bicarbonate
containing media and in the presence of increased
CO concentrations.

Bacillus anthracis
Grow well on ordinary lab media

producing large granular colonies

with a coarse texture.

B.anthracis
Virulence factors
Capsule helps organism to resist

phagocytosis but antibodies are

not protective.
Exotoxin is very complex and is
produced only when the bacteria
is growing in animal tissues.
Toxin production is mediated by
a temperature sensitive plasmid.

D isease Caused by B.anthracis

Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute infectious

disease in man & animal caused

by the spore-forming B. anthracis.
Anthrax is zoonotic disease
Anthrax is occupational
disease
Direct person-to-person spread of
anthrax is extremely unlikely to
occur.

Types ofAnthrax
Cutanoues Anthrax (Malignant Pustule)

Most common form of the disease to humans

It is acquired when the spores from the soil or

contaminated animal or carcass infect injured skin or

mucous membrane usually in face, neck and arm

Pneumonic Anthrax (Woolsorters disease)

It is results most commonly from inhalation of spore-

containing dust where animal hair or hides are being

handled

Intestinal Anthrax

It is analogous to cutaneous anthrax but occurs on the

intestinal mucosa
Intestinal anthrax is rare & occurs accidentally among
butchers and in primitive societies eating meat of
infected animals

Bacillus anthracis
Clinical significance
Anthrax which is the disease caused by B.

anthracis is essentially a disease of animals who

acquire the organism by ingestion or inhalation of
spores.
The spores are extremely resistant to adverse
chemicals and physical environments.
They may remain a source of infection in soil for
20-30 years.
Man acquires anthrax usually from contact with
animal products; less commonly from working in
an agricultural setting with infected animals.

Bacillus anthracis
Man may acquire the organism through skin

abrasions, by inhalation of spores, or by

ingestion. The disease that develops depends
upon the mode of transmission:
Pulmonary (Woolsorters disease) Spores are
inhaled and germinate in the lungs where they
multiply and
spread to cause a fatal
septicemia or meningitis.
This is the most serious form of the disease.
Intestinal anthrax results from ingestion of
spores.
Cutaneous anthrax when organism comes in
through skin abrasions;

Pulm onary anthrax

Cutaneous Anthrax

B.cereus
B. cereus is a normal inhabitant of soil
Also isolated from food such as grains and spices
B. cereus causes Two Types of food poisoning
Emetic form or short incubation:

It is caused by heat stable enterotoxin

Nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps
Incubation period of 1-6 hrs
It resembles S. aureus food poisoning
Diarrheal form or long incubation:
It is caused by heat labile enterotoxin
Abdominal cramps and diarrhea
Incubation period of 8-16 hrs
Diarrhea may be a small volume or profuse and
watery
It resembles food poisoning caused by Cl. perfringens
In either type, the illness usually lasts < 24 hrs after
onset

Epidemiology of Anthrax in
Animal and Human Hosts

BACILLU S CEREU S
Cause of FOOD POISOINING.
Ubiquitous in nature.
Vegetables, milk, cereals, spices,

meat & poultry.

Some spores survive cooking &
germinate into vegetative bacilli
which produce ENTEROTOXIN that
causes food poisoining.

TYPES O F FO O D PO ISO IN IN G
1. SHORT INCUBATION PERIOD TYPE

(1-5 HRS)
Characterized by acute Nausea &
vomiting, 1-5 hrs after the meal.
Diarrhoea is not common.
It is usually associated with
consumption of cooked rice, usually
fried rice from Chinese restaurants.

2.Long incubation period type (8-16)

Characterised by
Acute abdominal pain &

diarrhoea, 8-16 hrs. after

consumption of contaminated food.
Vomiting is rare symptom in this
type.

Bacillus cereus

Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis

clinical presentation

DIARRHOEAL FORM

Incubation period > 6 hours

Diarrhoea
Lasts 20-36 hours

EMETIC FORM

Incubation period < 6 hours

Severe vomiting
Lasts 8-10 hours

Other Bacillus spp.

>>>

Bacillus thuringiensis

parasitizes insects, and is commercially

used for pest control. Although
Bacillus stearothermophilus
Spores used to test efficiency of killing
in autoclaves