Streptococcus Pneumoniae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Streptococcus Pneumoniae - Research Paper Example The micro-organism incorporates the genetic material of another microorganism through a process of transformation. The presence of F-antigen helps in acquiring of genetic material from different sources. Therefore, it means that the organism can change from one serotype to the other. This is quite significant to the development of resistance to antibiotics in the organism. It increases the virulence of the organism. The increasing severity of micro organism is attributed to its ability to assume different shapes. When the organism acquires genetic material with genes of resistance to antibiotics, it replicates to resist the host defense mechanism. The virulence in these microorganisms is associated with the capsular material. The capsule resists the hosts’ phagocytosis mechanism thereby surviving and multiplying in the host tissues. The virulence factors of the microorganism include surface protein A. autolysin, and immunoglobulin A. Streptococci pneumoniae are found in the ho st’s upper airways, nose, or throat. They are part of normal flora in human beings. However, the organism becomes infectious depending on the immunity status of the host. In the immune comprised host, they cause some of the deadly diseases that include pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, acute otitis media, peritonitis, and bacteremia. These are diseases of upper and lower respiratory tract. When in the host tissues, pneumococcal undergoes genetic changes that convert the colonies from opaque to transparent ones.