What are streptococci?
1 Answer
Nov 21, 2016
Streptococci are a genus of coccus (spherical bacteria) that occur in pairs or chains.
Explanation:
Streptococci (singular: Streptococcus) are bacteria that are spherical in shape (cocci; singular: coccus) and they exist in pairs or chains.
This peculiarity of streptococci is because they divide along a single axis, thus forming continuous chains instead of separating or clumping (as in staphylococci).
Many of them are part of the normal flora of the human mouth, upper respiratory tract, intestine and skin; but some of them are pathogenic.
Streptococci are gram positive, mostly aerobic with some facultatively anaerobic.
The image below is a 3D model of a common streptococcus: S. pyogenes.
