Coccus

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Staphylococcus bacteria

Cocci (singular - coccus, from the Latin coccinus (scarlet) and derived from the Greek kokkos (berry) ) are any bacteria whose overall shape is spherical or nearly spherical.^[1]

Aggregations of coccoid bacteria often occur and these forms have specifc names as well^[2]; listed here are the basic forms as well as representative bacterial genera:

• pairs, or diplococci (Enterococcus)
• groups of four or eight known as tetrads or sarcina (Sarcina)
• bead-like chains, or streptococci (Streptococcus)
• grapelike clusters, or staphylococci (Staphylococcus)

Important human pathogens caused by coccoid bacteria include staphylococci infections, some types of food poisoning, some urinary tract infections, toxic shock syndrome, gonorrhea, as well as some forms of meningitis, throat infections, pneumonias, and sinusitis.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Madigan M; Martinko J (editors). (2005). Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 11th ed., Prentice Hall. ISBN 0131443291.
2. ^ Salton MRJ, Kim KS (1996). Structure. In: Baron's Medical Microbiology (Baron S et al, eds.), 4th ed., Univ of Texas Medical Branch. (via NCBI Bookshelf) ISBN 0-9631172-1-1.
3. ^ Ryan KJ; Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology, 4th ed., McGraw Hill. ISBN 0838585299.