Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

𝓜𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝓜𝒾𝒸𝓇𝑜𝒷𝒾𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝓎 > Bacterial Pathogens and Diseases I - Exotoxins > Flashcards

Bacterial Pathogens and Diseases I - Exotoxins Flashcards

(92 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is a pathogen?

A

→ A microorganism capable of causing disease

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

What is pathogenicity?

A

→ The ability of an infectious agent to cause disease

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

What is virulence?

A

→ The quantitative ability of an agent to cause disease

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

What is toxigenicity?

A

→ The ability of a microorganism to produce a toxin that contributes to development of disease

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

what are 4 virulence mechanisms?

A

→ Adherence factors
→ biofilms
→ invasion of host cells
→ toxins

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

What are endotoxins?

A

→ a heterogenous group of proteins produced and secreted by living bacterial cells

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

What types of bacteria produce endotoxins?

A

→ gram negative and gram positive

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

What selective advantages do exotoxins give to the bacteria?

A

→ they cause disease that may help transmission

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

What are the 4 other actions of toxins?

A

→ Evade immune response
→ Enable biofilm formation
→ Enable attachment to host cells
→ Escape from phagosomes

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

What do toxins allow for?

A

→ Colonisation

→ Niche establishment and carriage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the two proteins S.Aureus uses to cause disease?

A

→ Haemolytic toxins

→ Phenol soluble modulins (PSM)

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

What are the 7 haemolytic toxins of S.Aureus?

A 
→ Alpha
→ beta
→ delta
→ Panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) 
→ LukAB
→ LukED
→ LukMF
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the effect of haemolytic toxins?

A

→ cause cells to lyse by forming pores

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

What is the function of phenol soluble modulins?

A

→ aggregate the lipid bilayer of host cells

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

Where is the majority of S.Aureus?

A

→ asymptomatic carriage in the nose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How does S.aureus remain alive in the cell?

A

→ alpha toxin and PSM prevent the attachment of the lysosome to the phagosome so the bacteria can remain alive in the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What does PSM allow S.aureus to do?

A

→ allows S. aureus to slide across surfaces

→ because S.aureus is not motile

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

What toxin enables the attachment of a biofilm?

A

→ Alpha toxin

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

What toxins enable the growth of a biofilm?

A

→ beta toxin and PSM

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

What effect does PSM have on the biofilm?

A

→ Allows it to detach and spread

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What can toxins be encoded by?

A

→ chromosomal genes
→ extrachromosomal genes
→ plasmids
→lysogenic bacteriophage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What bacteria have toxins encoded for by plasmids?

A

→ Anthtrax

→ tetanus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the three classifications of exotoxins?

A

→ Membrane acting toxins - type I
→ membrane damaging toxins - type II
→ intracellular toxins - type III

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the main issue with the classification of exotoxins?

A

→ many toxins have more than one type of activity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What are 4 targets of membrane acting toxins (type 1) ?
→ guanylyl cyclase → adenylyl cyclase → Rho proteins → Ras proteins
26
Describe how the E.Coli heat stable toxin works and how it causes diarrhoea?
→ Binds to a specific receptor (GC - C) → causes the intracellular domain to produce cGMP → cGMP acts on a pump inside the cell membrane (CFTR) → the CFTR normally pumps Cl- and HCO3- ions out of the cell → by stimulating CFTR it pumps out more → it produces cAMP that inhibits a pump that brings in Na+ and pumps out H+ → Na+ and Cl- ions are salt so when they move out of the cell water follows them → Diarrhoea occurs
27
What type of toxin is the E.Coli heat stable toxin?
→ Type I exotoxin
28
What do type 1 toxins interfere with?
→ Host cell signaling by inappropriate cell activation of host cell receptors
29
What are the two effects of Type II (membrane damaging) toxins?
→ Inserting channels into the host cell membrane | → enzymatic damage
30
Describe how alpha toxin works?
→ binds to a receptor called ADAM10 → it polymerises to form channels →this allows cells to be damaged →intracellular components move out
31
What is the structure of intracellular toxins?
→ usually have two components (A and B)
32
What do the components of intracellular toxins do?
→A - toxigenic | → B - receptor binding and translocation
33
What is the structure of the cholera toxins?
⭢ AB5
34
What are 5 examples of intracellular toxins?
``` ⭢ ADP ⭢ Glucosyltransferases ⭢ Deamidate ⭢ Protease ⭢ Adenylyl cyclase ```
35
What is an example of a deamidate toxin (type III) ?
⭢ Dermonecrotic toxin of bordetella pertussis
36
What is an example of a protease toxin (type III)?
⭢ Clostridial neurotoxins : botulism and tetanus
37
What is an example of an adenylyl cyclase toxin (type III)?
⭢ EF toxin of bacillus anthracis
38
What is an example of a glucosyltransferase toxin (type III)?
⭢ TcdA and TcdB of C.diff
39
What is an example of ADP toxin (type III)?
⭢ Ribosyl transferases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa & pertussis toxin
40
What is an example of a type III secretion and toxin injection?
⭢ YopE in yersinia
41
What is an example of a type IV secretion and toxin injection?
⭢ CagA in helicobacter pylori
42
What can exotoxins induce?
⭢ Inflammatory cytokine release
43
What cytokines are released due to exotoxins?
``` ⭢ IL1 ⭢ IL11 ⭢ TNF ⭢ IL6 ⭢ delta interferon ⭢ IL18 ```
44
Describe the superantigen mechanism?
⭢ Non-specific bridging of the MHC Class II and T cell receptor leading to cytokine production ⭢ via activation of the different inflammasome leading to release of IL1 beta and IL18
45
Give 2 examples of a superantigen?
⭢ Staphylococcal exfoliative toxin A | ⭢ toxic shock syndrome toxin 1
46
What are the two ways in which toxoids can be inactivated?
⭢ Formaldehyde | ⭢ Glutaraldehyde
47
What are toxoids?
⭢ Inactive proteins that are still highly immunogenic
48
What do toxoids form the basis of?
⭢ Vaccines
49
Name 3 vaccines that use toxoids?
⭢ Tetanus vaccine ⭢ Diphtheria ⭢ Pertussis
50
How can you treat toxin mediated disease?
⭢ Administering preformed antibodies to the toxin
51
What antibodies are used for Diphtheria and Botulism toxin?
⭢ horse antibodies
52
What antibodies are used for tetanus toxin?
⭢ pooled human immunoglobulin
53
What type of a bacterium is C.diff?
⭢ Gram +ve bacillus | ⭢ anaerobic
54
How can C.diff be carried?
⭢ Asymptomatically in the gut
55
How is C.diff spread?
⭢ ingestion of spores
56
What are the risk factors of getting C.diff?
⭢ Antibiotic use ⭢ age ⭢ antacids ⭢ prolonged hospital stay
57
How do antibiotics act?
⭢ Disrupting the microbial ecosystem
58
Why do antibiotics facilitate C.diff?
⭢ Provide a competitive advantage to spore forming anaerobes
59
What are the 4 antibiotics likely to cause C.Diff infection?
⭢ Quinolones & clindamycin | ⭢ 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins
60
What are the 3 antibiotics that make it less likely for C.diff to colonise?
⭢ Aminoglycosides ⭢ Trimethoprim ⭢ Vancomycin
61
What are the 4 components of C. difficile?
⭢ Cytotoxin A ⭢ Cytotoxin B ⭢ Binary toxin ⭢ TcdA and TcdB
62
Describe how C.diff induces cell death?
⭢ The toxin binds to the receptor ⭢ It is phagocytised and forms an endosome ⭢ the endosome becomes acidified ⭢ this allows the glucosyltransferase domain to escape into the cytoplasm ⭢ this domain targets Rho GTPases and inactivates them ⭢ this stops the growth of the cytoskeleton and breaks it down ⭢ this causes cytotoxic damage ⭢ It stimulates the inflammasome and cell death is induced
63
What are the three cytopathic effects of C.Diff?
⭢ Patchy necrosis with neutrophil infiltration ⭢ Epithelial ulcers ⭢ Pseudomembranes
64
What are the ranges of disease of C.diff?
``` ⭢ Asymptomatic ⭢ Watery diarrhoea ⭢ Dysentery ⭢ Pseudomembranous colitis ⭢ toxic megacolon ⭢peritonitis ```
65
What are the clinical signs of C.diff infection?
⭢ Raised white cell count | ⭢ Detection of organisms and toxins in the stool
66
What is the 2 phase test for a C.diff infection?
1) Glutamate dehydrogenase detects if C.diff organism is present 2) toxin enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for TcdA and TcdB toxins
67
How do you detect TcdA and TcdB genes in C.diff?
⭢ PCR
68
Why is detecting genes during C.diff not a good representation of whether you have the disease?
⭢ Genes can be present without the toxin
69
How do you check for pseudomembranous colitis?
⭢ Colonoscopy
70
What is surgical treatment for C.diff?
⭢ Partial or total colectomy
71
What is a treatment for recurrent C.diff?
⭢ Fecal transplant
72
What are the 3 antibiotics used for a C.diff infection?
⭢ Vancomycin ⭢ metronidazole ⭢ Fidaxomicin
73
What is VTEC ecoli?
⭢ verocytotoxin E.coli
74
What is STEC E.coli?
⭢ shiga toxin E coli
75
How do you identify E.coli?
⭢ Growth on sorbitol | ⭢ E.coli does not ferment sorbitol and hence is clear
76
How is E.coli transmitted?
⭢ Contaminated food and water ⭢ person to person ⭢ animal to person
77
Where is E.coli normally found?
⭢ Naturally colonises the GI tracts of cattle who are generally asymptomatic
78
What are the three types of pathogenic toxin in E.coli?
⭢ SLT - shiga- like toxin ⭢ STX - shiga toxin ⭢ VTEC - verocytotoxin
79
What are the 8 types of toxin variation in E.coli?
``` ⭢ Stx ⭢ Stx1 ⭢ Stx1a ⭢ 1c ⭢ 1d ⭢2c ⭢ 2d ```
80
What type of an exotoxin is E.coli?
⭢ AB5 | ⭢ Type III exotoxin
81
What is the enzymatic component of the E.coli toxin and what does it do?
⭢ N-glycosidase | ⭢ Damages RNA in ribosomes and inhibits protein synthesis
82
What is the mechanism of the E.coli toxin?
⭢ Binds to a receptor globotriaosylceramide Gb3 or Gb4 on the host cell membrane ⭢ Bound toxin is internalised by receptor mediated endocytosis ⭢ Carried by retrograde trafficking via the Golgi apparatus to the ER ⭢ The A subunits is cleaved off by membrane bound proteases ⭢ Once in the cytoplasm A1 and A2 dissociate ⭢ A1 binds to 28S RNA subunit and blocks protein synthesis
83
Where does STEC adhere to and what is this due to?
⭢ Epithelial cells of the gut mucosa | ⭢ Due to the B binding domain
84
How can Stx get transported from the intestine to the kidney?
⭢ Polymorphonuclear neutrophils
85
Where does the Stx preferntially bind to ?
⭢ Binds to glomerular endothelial cells of the kidney, cardiovascular and central nervous system
86
Why are the kidneys most affected by Stx?
⭢ very high levels of Gb3 in the kidney so the kidneys are the most affected
87
What is the effect of Stx?
⭢ Favours inflammation | ⭢ Results in microvascular thrombosis and inhibition of fibrinolysis
88
Who has the greatest risk of STEC disease?
⭢ Children <5 years
89
What happens in Haemolytic uraemic syndrome?
⭢ Anaemia ⭢ Renal failure ⭢thrombocytopenia
90
What are the neurological symptoms of Haemolytic uraemic syndrome?
⭢ Lethargy ⭢ Severe headache ⭢ Convulsions ⭢ Encephalopathy
91
What are the 4 ways of diagnosis STEC disease?
⭢ Clinical signs and symptoms ⭢ Haematological and biochemical evidence ⭢ stool culture ⭢ PCR for Stx genes
92
What is the treatment for STEC disease?
⭢ Supportive including renal dialysis and blood product transfusion

𝓜𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝓜𝒾𝒸𝓇𝑜𝒷𝒾𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝓎 (17 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions