''Staphylococcus caprae'' is a

Gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bacte ...

, coccus bacteria and a member of the genus ''

Staphylococcus ''Staphylococcus'' is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria in the family Staphylococcaceae from the order Bacillales. Under the microscope, they appear spherical (cocci), and form in grape-like clusters. ''Staphylococcus'' species are facultative ...

''. ''S. caprae'' is

coagulase Coagulase is a protein enzyme produced by several microorganisms that enables the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. In the laboratory, it is used to distinguish between different types of ''Staphylococcus'' isolates. Importantly, '' S. aureus'' ...

-negative. It was originally isolated from goats (''caprae'' means "of a goat"), but members of this species have also been isolated from human samples.

Clinical importance

''Staphylococcus caprae'' occurs as a

commensal Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction (symbiosis) in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in which both organisms benefit fro ...

on human skin, but has also been implicated in infections of the

bloodstream The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

urinary tract The urinary system, also known as the urinary tract or renal system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, con ...

, bones, and

joints A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

. Because ''S. caprae'' is difficult to identify definitively in the laboratory, according to a study in 2014, the incidence of ''S. caprae'' in humans is under-reported.

Literature and further reading

It is a coagulase-negative,

DNase Deoxyribonuclease (DNase, for short) refers to a group of glycoprotein endonucleases which are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of phosphodiester linkages in the DNA backbone, thus degrading DNA. The role of the DNase enzyme in cells ...

-positive member of the genus ''Staphylococcus''. Usually it is associated with goats. Since 1991, a few laboratories reported that they had isolated the organism from human clinical specimens. It is now an emerging microorganism in joint and bone infections in humans. ''Staphylococcus caprae'' was first described in 1983 by Devisee et al. based on a strain isolated from some

goat milk Goat milk is the milk of domestic goats. Goats produce about 2% of the world's total annual milk supply. Some goats are bred specifically for milk. Goat milk naturally has small, well-emulsified fat globules, which means the cream will stay in ...

. It can sometimes cause

mastitis Mastitis is inflammation of the breast or udder, usually associated with breastfeeding. Symptoms typically include local pain and redness. There is often an associated fever and general soreness. Onset is typically fairly rapid and usually occurs ...

in the goats, and it is considered a

commensal organism Commensalism is a long-term biological interaction (symbiosis) in which members of one species gain benefits while those of the other species neither benefit nor are harmed. This is in contrast with mutualism, in which both organisms benefit fro ...

for the goats’ skin and mammary glands. It has been reported as a pathogen for humans acquired at hospitals, mostly in bone and joint infections. There have also been studies on ''S. caprae'' causing

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

in clinical settings.

References

External links

Type strain of ''Staphylococcus caprae'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
Gram-positive bacteria

caprae This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants i ...

Bacteria described in 1983 {{Staphylococcaceae-stub