Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a Gram-positive bacterium that is responsible for the majority of community-acquired ...Weusecookiestoenhanceyourexperience.Bycontinuingtobrowsethissiteyouagreetoouruseofcookies.Moreinfo.AcceptCookieSettingsStreptococcuspneumoniae(pneumococcus):OverviewDownloadPDFCopyByOliverFleck,M.Sc.ReviewedbySushaCheriyedath,M.Sc.OverviewStreptococcuspneumoniae(pneumococcus)isaGram-positivebacteriumthatisresponsibleforthemajorityofcommunity-acquiredpneumonia.Itisacommensalorganisminthehumanrespiratorytract,meaningthatitbenefitsfromthehumanbody,withoutharmingit.However,infectionbypneumococcusmaybedangerous,causingnotonlypneumonia,butalsobronchitis,otitismedia,septicemia,andmeningitis.3Dillustration.Streptococcuspneumoniae,orpneumococcus,isagram-positivebacteriaresponsibleformanytypesofpneumococcalinfections.ImageCopyright:ktsdesign/ShutterstockS.pneumoniaeisalpha-hemolytic,meaningthatitcanbreakdownredbloodcellsthroughtheproductionofhydrogenperoxide(H2O2).TheproductionofH2O2bythebacterialinfectioncanalsocausedamagetoDNA,andkillcellswithinthelungs.Pneumococcalpneumoniacausesfeverandchills,coughs,difficultybreathing,andchestpain.Iftheinfectionspreadstothebrainandspinalcord,itcancausepneumococcalmeningitis,characterisedbyastiffneck,fever,confusion,andheadaches.RelatedStoriesNewcapsulesarecriticalforaddressingtherapidlychangingbacteria,saysexpertStudyprovidesvaluableinteractionaboutanimalhostandpathogenduringpneumococcalinfectionsCOVID-19patientsatriskoffatalco-infectionduringICUstaysPneumococcalinfectionisresponsiblefor1-2millioninfantdeathsworldwide,everyyear.Duringinfluenzaepidemics,S.pneumoniaeisassociatedwithhighermortalityinpatientsinfectedwithbothmicroorganisms.ItisthoughtthatS.pneumoniaeandHaemophiliusinfluenzaehaveasynergisticeffectononeanother,wheninfectingthesamehost.RiskFactorsTheprimaryriskfactorsforinfectionare:Age.Peopleyoungerthan2orolderthan65yearsoldareathighestriskofinfectionAbsenceofnormalspleenfunction(asplenia/hypospleni