View source for Bacillus

== Background ==

=== Microbiology ===

* Genus of non-branching, catalase [[Catalase::positive]] [[Stain::Gram-positive]] [[Shape::bacillus|bacilli]]
* Often over-decolorized

=== Identification ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Organism
!Width >1 μm
!Wide Zone Lecithinase
!Spores Swell Sporangium
!VP Test
!Ferments Mannitol
!Ferments Xylose
!Anaerobic Growth
|-
|[[Bacillus anthracis]]
| +
| +
|–
| +
|–
|–
| +
|-
|[[Bacillus cereus]]
| +
| +
|–
| +
|–
|–
| +
|-
|[[Bacillus subtilis]]
|–
|–
|–
| +
| +
| +
|–
|-
|[[Paenibacillus]]
|–
|–
| +
|±
|±
|±
| +
|}

== Clinical Presentation ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Species
!Disease
|-
|[[Bacillus anthracis]]
|anthrax
|-
|[[Bacillus cereus]]
|food poisoning, central line infections
|}

== Management ==

* Varies by species<ref>Luna VA, King DS, Gulledge J, Cannons AC, Amuso PT, Cattani J. Susceptibility of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides and Bacillus thuringiensis to 24 antimicrobials using Sensititre automated microbroth dilution and Etest agar gradient diffusion methods. ''J Antimicrob Chemother''. 2007 Sep;60(3):555-67. doi: [https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkm213 10.1093/jac/dkm213]. Epub 2007 Jun 22. PMID: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17586563/ 17586563].</ref>
* Often resistant to [[penicillins]]
* Usually susceptible to [[vancomycin]], [[fluoroquinolones]] ([[ciprofloxacin]], [[levofloxacin]], [[moxifloxacin]]), [[clindamycin]], [[tetracycline]]
* Variable susceptibility to [[clindamycin]], [[co-trimoxazole]]{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Bacillus''}}
[[Category:Gram-positive bacilli]]
[[Category:Infectious diseases]]