parent_taxon bacilli
___MASK53___ is a genus of gram - positive , rod - shaped bacteria and a member of the phylum ___MASK4___ . " ___MASK53___ " species can be obligate aerobes ( oxygen reliant ), or facultative anaerobes ( having the ability to be aerobic or anaerobic ). They will test positive for the enzyme catalase when there has been oxygen used or present . Ubiquitous in nature , " ___MASK53___ " includes both free - living ( nonparasitic ) and parasitic pathogenic species . Under stressful environmental conditions , the bacteria can produce oval endospores that are not true ' spores ', but to which the bacteria can reduce themselves and remain in a dormant state for very long periods . These characteristics originally defined the genus , but not all such species are closely related , and many have been moved to other genera of the ___MASK4___ . ___MASK26___ ( common noun ___MASK26___ , singular bacterium ) constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms . Typically a few micrometres in length , ___MASK26___ have a number of shapes , ranging from spheres to rods and spirals . ___MASK26___ were among the first life forms to appear on Earth , and are present in most of its habitats . ___MASK26___ inhabit soil , water , acidic hot springs , radioactive waste , and the deep portions of Earth ' s crust . ___MASK26___ also live in symbiotic and parasitic relationships with plants and animals . ___MASK53___ ___MASK56___ is a Gram - positive , rod - shaped , aerobic , motile , beta hemolytic bacterium commonly found in soil and food . Some strains are harmful to humans and cause foodborne illness , while other strains can be beneficial as probiotics for animals . It is the cause of " fried rice syndrome ", as the bacteria are classically contracted from fried rice dishes that have been sitting at room temperature for hours . " B . ___MASK56___ " bacteria are facultative anaerobes , and like other members of the genus " ___MASK53___ ", can produce protective endospores . Its virulence factors include cereolysin and phospholipase C . ___MASK24___ is a genus of Gram - positive ___MASK26___ , placed within the family of ___MASK48___ . They are generally ovoid cocci often forming chains . " ___MASK24___ " spp . are intrinsically resistant to vancomycin and are catalase - negative ( which distinguishes them from staphylococci ). All species within this genus are heterofermentative and are able to produce dextran from sucrose . They are generally slime - forming . ___MASK47___ or lactic acid bacteria ( LAB ) are a clade of Gram - positive , low - GC , acid - tolerant , generally nonsporulating , nonrespiring , either rod - or ___MASK29___ - shaped bacteria that share common metabolic and physiological characteristics . These bacteria , usually found in decomposing plants and milk products , produce lactic acid as the major metabolic end product of carbohydrate fermentation . This trait has , throughout history , linked LAB with food fermentations , as acidification inhibits the growth of spoilage agents . Proteinaceous bacteriocins are produced by several LAB strains and provide an additional hurdle for spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms . Furthermore , lactic acid and other metabolic products contribute to the organoleptic and textural profile of a food item . The industrial importance of the LAB is further evidenced by their generally recognized as safe ( GRAS ) status , due to their ubiquitous appearance in food and their contribution to the healthy microflora of human mucosal surfaces . The genera that comprise the LAB are at its core " Lactobacillus ", " Leuconostoc ", " Pediococcus ", " Lactococcus ", and " Streptococcus ", as well as the more peripheral " Aerococcus ", " ___MASK15___ ", " Enterococcus ", " Oenococcus ", " Sporolactobacillus ", " Tetragenococcus ", " Vagococcus ", and " Weissella "; these belong to the order ___MASK47___ . An obligate aerobe is an organism that requires oxygen to grow . Through cellular respiration , these organisms use oxygen to metabolise substances , like sugars or fats , to obtain energy . In this type of respiration , oxygen serves as the terminal ___MASK85___ acceptor for the ___MASK85___ transport chain . Aerobic respiration has the advantage of yielding more energy ( adenosine triphosphate or ATP ) than fermentation or anaerobic respiration , but obligate aerobes are subject to high levels of oxidative stress . A habitat is an ecological or environmental ___MASK22___ that is inhabited by a particular species of animal , ___MASK33___ , or other type of organism . The term typically refers to the zone in which the organism lives and where it can find food , shelter , protection and mates for reproduction . It is the natural environment in which an organism lives , or the physical environment that surrounds a species population . An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body . Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness , pain , warmth , and swelling . The swelling may feel fluid filled when pressed . The ___MASK22___ of redness often extends beyond the swelling . Carbuncles and boils are types of abscess that often involve hair follicles with carbuncles being larger . They are usually caused by a bacterial infection . Often many different types of bacteria are involved in a single infection . In the United States and many other ___MASK58___ of the world the most common bacteria present is " methicillin - resistant ___MASK60___ aureus ". Rarely , parasites can cause abscesses and this is more common in the developing world . Diagnosis of a skin abscess is usually made based on what it looks like and is confirmed by cutting it open . Ultrasound imaging may be useful in cases in which the diagnosis is not clear . In abscesses around the anus , computer tomography ( CT ) may be important to look for deeper infection . Standard treatment for most skin or soft tissue abscesses is cutting it open and drainage . There does not appear to be any benefit from also using antibiotics for this type of abscess in most people who are otherwise healthy . A small amount of evidence supports not packing the cavity that remains with gauze after drainage . Closing this cavity right after draining it rather than leaving it open may speed healing without increasing the risk of the abscess returning . Sucking out the pus with a needle is often not sufficient . Skin abscesses are common and have become more common in recent years . Risk factors include intravenous drug use with rates reported as high as 65 % in this population . In 2005 in the United States 3 . 2 million people went to the emergency department for an abscess . In Australia around 13 , 000 people were hospitalized in 2008 with the condition . Sporolactobacillus is a genus of anaerobic , endospore - forming , Gram - positive , motile , rod - shaped , lactic acid ___MASK26___ . ___MASK50___ is a genus of Gram - positive bacteria , placed within the family Leuconostocaceae , and formerly considered species of the " Leuconostoc paramesenteroides " group . The morphology of " ___MASK50___ " species varies from spherical or lenticular cells to irregular rods . ___MASK53___ anthracis is the etiologic agent of anthrax  a common disease of livestock and , occasionally , of humans  and the only obligate pathogen within the genus " ___MASK53___ ". " B . anthracis " is a Gram - positive , endospore - forming , rod - shaped bacterium , with a width of 1 . 0  1 . 2 µm and a length of 3  5 µm . It can be grown in an ordinary nutrient medium under aerobic or anaerobic conditions . It is one of few bacteria known to synthesize a protein capsule ( poly - D - gamma - glutamic acid ). Like " ___MASK54___ pertussis ", it forms a calmodulin - dependent adenylate cyclase exotoxin known as Anthrax edema factor , along with anthrax lethal factor . It bears close genotypical and phenotypical resemblance to " ___MASK53___ ___MASK56___ " and " ___MASK53___ thuringiensis ". All three species share cellular dimensions and morphology . All form oval spores located centrally in an unswollen sporangium . " B . anthracis " endospores , in particular , are highly resilient , surviving extremes of temperature , low - nutrient environments , and harsh chemical treatment over decades or centuries . ___MASK81___ is a genus of lactic acid bacteria that were formerly included in the genus " ___MASK90___ " Group N1 . They are known as homofermentors meaning that they produce a single product , lactic acid in this case , as the major or only product of glucose fermentation . Their homofermentative character can be altered by adjusting environmental conditions such as pH , glucose concentration , and nutrient limitation . They are gram - positive , catalase - negative , non - motile cocci that are found singly , in pairs , or in chains . The genus contains strains known to grow at or below 7  C . Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen ( such as ___MASK26___ , plants , and animals ). It catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen . It is a very important enzyme in protecting the cell from oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species ( ROS ). Likewise , catalase has one of the highest turnover numbers of all enzymes ; one catalase molecule can convert millions of hydrogen peroxide molecules to water and oxygen each second . Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium " ___MASK53___ anthracis ". It can occur in four forms : skin , inhalation , intestinal , and injection . Symptoms begin between one day and two months after the infection is contracted . The skin form presents with a small blister with surrounding swelling that often turns into a painless ulcer with a black center . The inhalation form presents with fever , chest pain , and shortness of breath . The intestinal form presents with nausea , vomiting , diarrhea , or abdominal pain . The injection form presents with fever and an abscess at the site of drug injection . Anthrax is spread by contact with the spores of the bacteria , which are often from infectious animal products . Contact is by breathing , eating , or through an area of broken skin . It does not typically spread directly between people . Risk factors include people who work with animals or animal products , travelers , postal workers , and military personnel . Diagnosis can be confirmed based on finding antibodies or the toxin in the blood or by culture of a sample from the infected site . Anthrax vaccination is recommended for people who are at high risk . Immunizing animals against anthrax is recommended in areas where previous infections have occurred . Two months of antibiotics , such as doxycycline or ciprofloxacin , after exposure can also prevent infection . If infection occurs treatment is with antibiotics and possibly antitoxin . The type and number of antibiotics used depends on the type of infection . Antitoxin is recommended for those with widespread infection . Anthrax among humans is most common in Africa and central and Southern Asia . It also occurs fairly regularly in Southern Europe , but is uncommon in Northern Europe and North America . Globally , at least 2 , 000 cases occur a year , with about two cases a year in the United States . Skin infections represent more than 95 % of cases . Without treatment the risk of death from skin anthrax is 24 %. For intestinal infection the risk of death is 25 % to 75 % while in inhaled anthrax despite treatment it is around 50 % to 80 %. Until the 20th century , anthrax infections killed hundreds of thousands of people and animals each year . Anthrax has been developed as a weapon by a number of countries . In plant - eating animals , infection occurs when they eat or breathe in the spores while grazing . Carnivores may become infected by eating infected animals . A ___MASK29___ ( plural cocci ) is any bacterium that has a spherical , ovoid , or generally round shape . It is one of the three distinct bacterial shapes , the other two being bacillus ( rod - shaped ) and spiral - shaped cells . Calmodulin ( CaM ) ( an abbreviation for calcium - modulated protein ) is a multifunctional intermediate calcium - binding messenger protein expressed in all eukaryotic cells . It is an intracellular target of the secondary messenger ___MASK67___ , and the binding of ___MASK67___ is required for the activation of Calmodulin . Once bound to ___MASK67___ , Calmodulin acts as part of a calcium signal transduction pathway by modifying its interactions with various target proteins such as kinases or phosphatases . ___MASK90___ is a genus of ___MASK29___ ( spherical ) Gram - positive bacteria belonging to the phylum ___MASK4___ and the order Lactobacillales ( lactic acid bacteria ). Cell division in this genus occurs along a single axis in these bacteria , thus they grow in chains or pairs , hence the name  from Greek  " streptos ", meaning easily bent or twisted , like a chain ( twisted chain ). ( Contrast this with staphylococci , which divide along multiple axes and generate grape - like clusters of cells .) Most are oxidase - negative and catalase - negative , and many are facultative anaerobes . ___MASK6___ is a large genus of lactic acid ___MASK26___ of the phylum ___MASK4___ . Enterococci are Gram - positive cocci that often occur in pairs ( diplococci ) or short chains , and are difficult to distinguish from streptococci on physical characteristics alone . Two species are common commensal organisms in the intestines of humans : " E . faecalis " ( 90  95 %) and " E . faecium " ( 5  10 %). Rare clusters of infections occur with other species , including " E . casseliflavus ", " E . gallinarum ", and " E . raffinosus ". ___MASK53___ thuringiensis ( or Bt ) is a Gram - positive , soil - dwelling bacterium , commonly used as a biological pesticide . " B . thuringiensis " also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and butterflies , as well on leaf surfaces , aquatic environments , animal feces , insect - rich environments , and flour mills and grain - storage facilities . ___MASK77___ is a genus of Gram - positive bacteria , placed within the family Leuconostocaceae . The only species in the genus was " ___MASK77___ oeni " ( which was known as " Leuconostoc oeni " until 1995 ). In 2006 , the species " ___MASK77___ kitaharae " was identified . As its name implies , " ___MASK77___ oeni " holds major importance in the field of oenology , where it is the primary bacterium involved in completing the malolactic fermentation . The ___MASK4___ ( Latin : " firmus ", strong , and " cutis ", skin , referring to the cell wall ) are a phylum of bacteria , most of which have Gram - positive cell wall structure . A few , however , such as " Megasphaera ", " Pectinatus ", " Selenomonas " and " Zymophilus ", have a porous pseudo - outer membrane that causes them to stain Gram - negative . Scientists once classified the ___MASK4___ to include all Gram - positive bacteria , but have recently defined them to be of a core group of related forms called the low - G + C group , in contrast to the Actinobacteria . They have round cells , called cocci ( singular coccus ), or rod - like forms ( bacillus ). ___MASK70___ is a genus of Gram - positive , facultative anaerobic or microaerophilic , rod - shaped , non - spore - forming bacteria . They are a major part of the lactic acid bacteria group ( i . e . they convert sugars to lactic acid ). In humans , they constitute a significant component of the microbiota at a number of body sites . In European women , " ___MASK70___ " species are normally a major part of the vaginal microbiota . In contrast , the vaginal microbial profiles of African American ancestry women is different . Fever , also known as pyrexia and febrile response , is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body ' s temperature set - point . There is not a single agreed - upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using values between . The increase in set - point triggers increased muscle contraction and causes a feeling of cold . This results in greater heat production and efforts to conserve heat . When the set - point temperature returns to normal , a person feels hot , becomes flushed , and may begin to sweat . Rarely a fever may trigger a febrile seizure . This is more common in young children . Fevers do not typically go higher than . A fever can be caused by many medical conditions ranging from the not serious to potentially serious . This includes viral , bacterial and parasitic infections such as the common cold , urinary tract infections , meningitis , malaria and appendicitis among others . Non - infectious causes include vasculitis , deep vein thrombosis , side effects of medication , and ___MASK83___ among others . It differs from hyperthermia , in that hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature over the temperature set - point , due to either too much heat production or not enough heat loss . Treatment to reduce fever is generally not required . Treatment of associated pain and inflammation , however , may be useful and help a person rest . Medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol may help with this as well as lower temperature . Measures such as putting a cool damp cloth on the forehead and having a slightly warm bath are not useful and may simply make a person more uncomfortable . Children younger than three months require medical attention , as might people with serious medical problems such as a compromised immune system or people with other symptoms . Hyperthermia does require treatment . Fever is one of the most common medical signs . It is part of about 30 % of healthcare visits by children and occurs in up to 75 % of adults who are seriously sick . While fever is a useful defense mechanism , treating fever does not appear to worsen outcomes . Fever is viewed with greater concern by parents and healthcare professionals than it usually deserves , a phenomenon known as fever phobia . Radioactive waste is waste that contains radioactive material . Radioactive waste is usually a by - product of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology , such as research and medicine . Radioactive waste is hazardous to most forms of life and the environment , and is regulated by government agencies in order to protect ___MASK40___ health and the environment . ___MASK93___ is a genus of Gram - positive lactic acid ___MASK26___ , placed within the family of ___MASK78___ . They usually occur in pairs or tetrads , and divide along two planes of symmetry , as do the other lactic acid cocci genera " Aerococcus " and " ___MASK99___ ". They are purely homofermentative . " ___MASK93___ dextrinicus " has recently been reassigned to the genus " Lactobacillus ". An antitoxin is an antibody with the ability to neutralize a specific toxin . Antitoxins are produced by certain animals , plants , and ___MASK26___ . Although they are most effective in neutralizing toxins , they can kill ___MASK26___ and other microorganisms . Antitoxins are made within organisms , but can be injected into other organisms , including humans . This procedure involves injecting an animal with a safe amount of a particular toxin . Then , the animal  s body makes the antitoxin needed to neutralize the toxin . Later , the blood is withdrawn from the animal . When the antitoxin is obtained from the blood , it is purified and injected into a human or other animal , inducing passive immunity . To prevent serum sickness , it is often best to use antitoxin generated from the same species ( e . g . use human antitoxin to treat humans ). An endospore is a dormant , tough , and non - reproductive structure produced by certain ___MASK26___ from the Firmicute phylum . The name " endospore " is suggestive of a spore or seed - like form (" endo " means within ), but it is not a true spore ( i . e ., not an offspring ). It is a stripped - down , dormant form to which the bacterium can reduce itself . Endospore formation is usually triggered by a lack of nutrients , and usually occurs in gram - positive ___MASK26___ . In endospore formation , the bacterium divides within its cell wall . One side then engulfs the other . Endospores enable ___MASK26___ to lie dormant for extended periods , even centuries . Revival of spores millions of years old has been claimed . When the environment becomes more favorable , the endospore can reactivate itself to the vegetative state . Most types of ___MASK26___ cannot change to the endospore form . Examples of ___MASK26___ that can form endospores include " ___MASK53___ " and " ___MASK12___ ". ___MASK54___ pertussis is a Gram - negative , aerobic , pathogenic , encapsulated coccobacillus of the genus " ___MASK54___ ", and the causative agent of pertussis or whooping cough . Unlike " B . bronchiseptica ", " B . pertussis " is not motile . Its virulence factors include pertussis toxin , filamentous hæmagglutinin , pertactin , fimbria , and tracheal cytotoxin . Bacilli refers to a taxonomic class of ___MASK26___ . It includes two orders , Bacillales and ___MASK47___ , which contain several well - known pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis ( the cause of anthrax ) . A sporangium ( pl ., sporangia ) ( modern Latin , from Greek "  ( sporos )"  spore  + "  ( angeion )"  vessel ) is an enclosure in which spores are formed . It can be composed of a single cell or can be multicellular . All plants , ___MASK68___ , and many other lineages form sporangia at some point in their life cycle . Sporangia can produce spores by mitosis , but in nearly all land plants and many ___MASK68___ , sporangia are the site of meiosis and produce genetically distinct haploid spores .