Sample A: Sputum culture, grown on brain/heart infusion agar: streptoccus pneumoniae

A 70-year old male presented at the emergency ward with fever, tachypnea, hypoxemia and a congested cough. The patient’s notes revealed that routinely takes a Budesonide inhaler. His wife revealed that he has been unwell for some time and had failed to attend his GP’s asthma clinic appointments for his vaccinations.  

for the microorganism, give at least one example of a relevant virulence factor and explain how this enhances pathogenicity