Haemophilus

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Haemophilus

Haemophilus (pronunciation: /heɪˈmɒfɪləs/) is a genus of Gram-negative, pleomorphic, coccobacilli bacteria. The name is derived from the Greek words haima (blood) and philos (loving), indicating its growth requirement for blood factors.

Etymology

The term Haemophilus is derived from the Greek words haima meaning 'blood' and philos meaning 'loving'. This is due to the bacteria's requirement for blood factors for growth.

Classification

The genus Haemophilus is a member of the family Pasteurellaceae. It includes major species like Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus ducreyi.

Characteristics

Haemophilus species are small, non-motile, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative coccobacilli. They are facultative anaerobes, meaning they can grow in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments. Some species require both X (hemin) and V (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) factors for growth.

Pathogenesis

Haemophilus species are often part of the normal flora in the upper respiratory tract. However, they can cause diseases such as otitis media, meningitis, pneumonia, and epiglottitis when they invade other parts of the body.

Treatment

Treatment for Haemophilus infections typically involves antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin.

Prevention

Vaccination with the Hib vaccine is effective in preventing Haemophilus influenzae type b infections.

See also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski