| Elements Of Comparison | Staphylococcus | Streptococcus |
| Cellular Arrangement | Spherical cells in clusters (grape like clusters). | Spherical or ovoid cells in chains or pairs. |
| Fission/Division | Irregular division in all three planes. | Division in one linear direction. |
| Catalase Test | Positive (Presence of catalase enzyme) | Negative |
| Halotolerance | Halotolerant. Can tolerate upto 8% salt concentration. | Inhibited by high concentration of salt. |
| Capnophile | No | Yes |
| Common Culture Media Used | Mannitol Salt Agar Nutrient Agar | Blood Agar |
| Growth on Ordinary Culture Media | Possible | Not possible |
| Nutritional requirement | Simple | Complex (fastidious organism) |
| Colony morphology | 2-3 mm in diameter, circular, opaque golden yellow colonies (Staphylococcus aureus) | b-haemolysis ,1 mm, circular, tiny needle tip colonies (Streptococcus pyogenes) |
| Hemolysis | No hemolysis or beta hemolysis. | Either alpha,or beta or gamma hemolysis. |
| Species Number | About 40 staphylococcal species have been identified so far. | About 50 Streptococcal species have been identified so far. |
| Differentiation into groups | By means of coagulase test. | By means of hemolysis pattern in Blood Agar and group specific cell wall polysaccharide (Lancefield grouping). |
| Species Differentiation | – Coagulase test – Novobiocin sensitivity test – Biochemical tests | – Type of hemolysis – Cell wall carbohydrate group (A, B, C, etc) – Bile Solubility Test – CAMPT Test – Optochin Sensitivity Test |
| Normal Flora | Staphylococci are found mostly on the skin as commensals. | Mucosal membrane of human and animals. Mostly found in the oral cavity and respiratory tract. |
| Pathogens | Most of the Staphylococcal species are non-pathogens. | Streptococcus cause many diseases. |
| Pathogenic Species | Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, etc. | Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus bovis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, etc. |
| Virulence Factors | Polysaccharide capsule, slime layer, teicholic acid, lipoteicholic acid, adhesive proteins, clumping factor, protein A, exoenzymes ( DNase, hyalurinidase, phosphatase, lipase, exocoagulase, fibrinolysin), enterotoxin, exfoliative toxin, cytotoxins(a-haemolysin b- haemolysin d- haemolysin g-haemolysin, Leukocidin) | Lipoteicholic acid, F-protein, capsule, exotoxin, streptolysin S and O (haemolysin), Exoenzymes (hyaluronidase ,DNase, streptokinase) |
| Diseases caused | Food poisoning, bacterial conjunctivitis, skin diseases, community-acquired meningitis, Pneumonia, Surgical Site Infection, Wound infection, impetigo, cellulitis, toxic shock syndrome, osteomyelitis and endocarditis. | Strep throat, Scarlet fever, Impetigo, Toxic shock syndrome, Cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease), sinusitis, blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns. |
| Types of Symptoms | The symptoms of the Staphylococcal infections can include fever, chills, low blood pressure and red, swollen, tender pimple-like bumps. | The symptoms of a Streptococcal infection can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, rash, red and weeping skin sores, confusion, and dizziness. |
| Treatment options | Antibiotics like penicillin or methicillin if resistant. Vancomycin if MRSA. | Penicillin / penicillin V amoxicillin |