gammahemolízist

Gammahemolysis is a term used in microbiology to describe a type of hemolysis, which is the lysis or breaking down of red blood cells. Specifically, gammahemolysis is characterized by a lack of hemolysis. When bacteria exhibiting gammahemolysis are grown on blood agar, a solid culture medium containing red blood cells, there is no visible clearing or change in the appearance of the agar around the bacterial colonies. This is in contrast to alphahemolysis, which causes partial lysis and a greenish discoloration, and betahemolysis, which causes complete lysis and a clear zone.

Gammahemolytic bacteria do not produce hemolysins, which are toxins that can damage red blood cells. The absence of these hemolysins means that the red blood cells remain intact, and their characteristic red color is preserved in the agar. This property is often used as a biochemical test to help identify and classify different species of bacteria. For example, some bacteria commonly found in the human gut, such as certain strains of Enterococcus and Staphylococcus, can exhibit gammahemolysis. While not always indicative of pathogenicity, the presence or absence of hemolysis can be a factor considered in the overall assessment of a bacterial isolate.