Lecture 22: Bacterial pathogenesis I Flashcards

1
Q

What is an infection?

A

When a pathogen becomes established in the body via invasion or colonization.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is disease?

A

An infection which produces signs and symptoms and prevents the body from performing normal functions (abnormal state).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the difference between a symptom and a sign?

A

A symptom is a subjective characteristic felt only by the patient, while a sign is an objective manifestation observed or measured by others.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is pathogenesis?

A

The development of disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Infection without disease is called […]

A

Asymptomatic carriage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How does helicobacter pylori grow and what signs/symptoms does it cause?

A

It grows in the stomach acid by produce urease. It disrupts stomach mucosa, causing inflammation and gastric ulcers. It can also cause gastric cancer. However, the majority of people who ingest the bacteria are asymptomatic.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Is helicobacter pylori gram negative or gram positive?

A

It is gram negative.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

The only bacteria to be classified as a carcinogen is […], because […]

A

H. pylori, it is strongly linked to stomach cancer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Name the 3 major types of pathogens on the pathogen spectrum from least to most harmful.

A

Probiotics: beneficial or commensal
Pathobionts: can be harmful, opportunistic
Pathogens: harmful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are Koch’s 4 postulates?

A
  1. Microorganism found in abundance in all organisms with the disease and not in healthy organisms
  2. Microorganism should be isolated from diseased organism and grown in pure culture
  3. The pathogen from the pure culture must cause the disease when introduced into a healthy organism
  4. Microorganism must be re-isolated from the host of step 3 and identified as being identical to the original isolate.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

If a bacterium fulfills Koch’s postulates, it can be considered […]

A

Pathogenic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe a caveat to Koch’s first postulate.

A

Postulate: microorganism found in abundance in all organisms suffering from the disease and not in healthy individuals.
Caveat: Some pathogens may be isolated from healthy individuals without disease, some diseases have multiple causes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe a caveat to Koch’s second postulate.

A

Postulate: Microorganism should be isolated from diseased organism and grown in pure culture.
Caveat: some organisms are hard/impossible to culture.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe a caveat to Koch’s third postulate.

A

Postulate: Cultured microorganism should cause the disease when introduced into a healthy organism.
Caveat: disease can depend on the health status of the host, genetics of the host, environmental factors, site of introduction, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Name 3 pathogen factors that can affect the outcome of a host/bacteria interaction.

A
  1. Number
  2. Route
  3. Virulence potential
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Name 5 host factors that can affect the outcome of a host/bacteria interaction.

A
  1. Genetics
  2. Nutritional status
  3. Immune status
  4. Other infections
  5. Microbiome status.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a secondary infection?

A

An infection that develops in an individual who is already infected with a different pathogen.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Give an example of a secondary infection.

A

Tuberculosis is a major cause of death in patients with AIDS.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Explain how pseudomonas aeruginosa infects people.

A

It colonizes the skin and intestinal tract. Normally, our immune system can fight it off, but people with cystic fibrosis can’t. They have thick mucous in their lungs that prevents them from clearing the bacteria, so P. aeruginosa is a major cause of death in CF patients. P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Explain how our microbiome affects C. difficile infection.

A

If we take antibiotics, this can involve the killing of good bacteria in our microbiome that would normally fight off C. difficile.

21
Q

Name the 6 steps involved in the pathogenesis of bacteria diseases.

A
  1. Maintain a reservoir
  2. Be transported to the host
  3. Adhere to, colonize, and/or invade host
  4. Multiply or complete life cycles on or in host
  5. Evade host defenses
  6. Leave host and return to reservoir or enter new host
22
Q

What is the reservoir of an infectious agent?

A

It is the habitat in which the agent normally lives, grows, and multiplies. It is not the same as a host, which gets infected by the agent.

23
Q

Reservoirs can be […]

A

Humans, animals, and the environment

24
Q

What is a carrier?

A

A person is a seeminly uninfected person/animal/etc who is capable of transmitting the pathogen to others.

25
Q

Name the reservoir associated with:
a) Salmonella typhi
b) Enterohemorrhagic E. coli
c) Salmonella
d) Campylobacter
e) Clostridium tetani

A

a) Typhoid Mary
b) Cow
c) Poultry
d) Poultry
e) Soil

26
Q

What are the two major types of transport of the bacterial pathogen to a host?

A

Direct and indirect.

27
Q

What are the two major types of direct transport of pathogens to a host?

A

Direct contact and droplet spread.

28
Q

Give 3 examples of direct contact.

A

Skin-skin, kissing, sexual contact

29
Q

Give 3 examples of droplet spread.

A

Sneezing, coughing, talking

30
Q

What are the 3 major types of indirect transport of pathogens to a host?

A

Airborne, vehicle-borne, vector-borne

31
Q

What is airbone indirect transport of a pathogen to a host?

A

It involves small particles that are suspended in the air for long periods.

32
Q

Give 3 examples of vehicle-born indirect transport of a bacterial pathogen to a host.

A

Food/water, biological products (blood), fomites (objects such as handkerchiefs, bedding, or scalpels)

33
Q

Give 3 examples of vector-borne transport of a pathogen to a host.

A

Living beings: mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks

34
Q

What is adherence?

A

It is the process by which microoganisms attach themselves to cells. This is required for colonies to successfully establish themselves in the host.

35
Q

Adherence is made possible by […]

A

Adhesins

36
Q

What are adhesins? Include their function and what they’re made of.

A

They are molecules or structures that allow for the adherence of microorganisms to the host and dictate the susceptibility of the host. They are made of proteins, glycoproteins, or glycolipids. There are many types that exist.

37
Q

Name 4 different examples of bacterial adhesins.

A

Non-fimbrial, fimbriae, type 4 pilli, curli

38
Q

What is colonization?

A

The growth of microorganisms after they’ve gained access to host tissues, after adherence

39
Q

Where does colonization take place?

A

It starts either in mucous membrane or in tightly packed epithelial cells coated in mucus, a thick liquid secretion of glycoproteins.

40
Q

What are the 3 types of bacterial invasion?

A

Active into host cells, active between host cells, and passive.

41
Q

Explain how active invasion into host cells works.

A

The bacteria cause the host to produce proteins that will allow it to colonize.

42
Q

Explain how active invasion between host cells works.

A

The bacteria colonize between the junctions separating host cells.

43
Q

Explain how passive invasion works.

A

This can happen when you have an insect bite, lesion, etc. The bacteria just goes into the host and colonizes without having to do anything. It can use existing host pathways for internalization, such as phagocytosis.

44
Q

When does multiplication/complete life cycles occur?

A

It occurs when pathogens finds an appropriate environment in the host in terms of nutrients, pH, temperature, and protection from host immune system.

45
Q

Which type of cells do intracellular pathogens tend to invade? Why?

A

They tend to invade immune cells, because once they are compromised, the body is left defenseless.

46
Q

Describe how bacteria evade host defenses.

A

They secrete proteins that can deactivate host defenses and have bacterial capsules.

47
Q

Name 3 functions of bacterial capsules.

A
  1. Can evade host defenses by making it difficult for phagocytes to engulf them.
  2. Can facilitate attachment on host tissues (adherence step)
  3. Are composed of chemicals not recognized as foreign by the host
48
Q

Why is the leaving the host step necessary?

A

It is must occur for the microbe to be perpetuated.

49
Q

How do most bacteria leave their host? Give examples.

A

They mostly leave by passive mechanisms, such as feces, urine, droplets, saliva, or desquamated cells. Symptoms of disease such as coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea help in this process.