General Pathology 300 (Defense mechanisms and types of infections) Flashcards
Patterns of infections
different ways to damage
different ways to damage (different mechanisms of infections)
1) The invasive organism produces local damage (e.g., warts)
2) The invasive organism is toxic (poisonous) to the host (e.g. botulism)
3) The invasive organism produces little local damage but has widespread effects (e.g., HIV)
spread of infection within host – 3 types
1) Directly - some pathogens produce enzymes that damage cell membranes, enabling them to move rapidly from cell to cell
2) Via natural channels such as membranes (meninges, pleura, peritoneum) and vessels (lymphatic, blood)
3) Through nerves or through phagocytes (e.g., herpes virus)
Mode of action (infection)
Mode of action of a pathogen refers to how the organism produces a pathologic process.
Great variation exists.
E.g.
1) Some intracellular pathogens, like viruses, invade cells and interfere with cellular metabolism, growth and replication.
2) Other organisms cause cell death.
Factors affecting occurrence and spread of infection
1) Pathogenic factors
2) Host factors
1) PATHOGEN FACTORS
- Virulence – the relative power and degree of pathogenicity
“the severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison.” - Dose – increased numbers are more effective
- Site of infection – some sites are more easily infected
E.g.
Mucous membranes - Synergism between different pathogens (i.e. one organism can impair external defenses and permit another to enter).
mucous membranes – infection
“The mucosal surfaces of the body are highly vulnerable to infection and possess a complex array of innate and adaptive mechanisms of immunity”
Pathogen factors, simplified
strength
= virulence
numbers
= dose
location of attack
= site
teamwork
= synergism
2) HOST FACTORS
Resistance to infection
Immune competency
Leukocyte count
Necrosis and ischemia of a tissue (e.g., anaerobic bacteria)
E.g.
via factors like age (older people, very young people, immunocomprimised people, etc.)
Diagnosis
- Direct visualization of organism
- Detection of microbial antigen
- Search for clues produced by the host immune response to specific micro-organisms
- Isolation of organism in culture
- Detection of specific microbial nucleotide sequences
Opportunistic infections
An opportunistic infection is any infection that results from a defective immune system that cannot defend against pathogens normally found in the environment. These infections are usually seen in patients with impaired defenses against disease.
I.e.
people with optimal immune system function will generally not be getting these, or not getting them as frequently (?)
Opportunistic infections (life threatening infectious diseases)
Life threatening infectious disease occurs when immunity is weak or suppressed
(e.g. transplant patients, AIDS patients, old age, newborns, malnourished, burn victims, etc).
why is immune system comprimised in severe burn patients?
“After the burn, the ability of neutrophils’ oxidative burst decreases, which in turn weakens phagocytosis [10,29]; there is a decrease in the speed of motility during chemotaxis [30,31] and decreased bactericidal capacity [14], which ultimately reduce innate immune function.”
Bacterial Infection types
Staphylococci
Streptococci
Pneumococci
Meningococci
cocci
spherical
STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTIONS
“Staph”
Among the most common bacteria normally residing on the skin
Over 30 subtypes
Cause a multitude of disease ranging from mild / asymptomatic to severe / fatal
Leading cause of nosocomial and community acquired infections
STAPHYLOCOCCI
most common type (Staphylococcus)
Most common - Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
S. AUREUS
Extremely virulent
Nonmotile and facultative aerobic
motile vs nonmotile
(of cells, gametes, and single-celled organisms) capable of motion.
Bacterial motility is the ability of bacteria to move independently using metabolic energy.
facultative aerobic define
These are bacteria that, under normal circumstances, breathe anaerobically but can breathe aerobically when oxygen is available.
anaerobic respiration define
“Anaerobic respiration is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen. Although oxygen is not the final electron acceptor, the process still uses a respiratory electron transport chain.”
respiration, special define
BIOLOGY
“a process in living organisms involving the production of energy, typically with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide from the oxidation of complex organic substances.”
how well can S. AUREUS survive
Hardy; able to survive on inanimate objects for an extended period
what can S. AUREUS infect
Can infect the blood, skin, lungs, soft tissue, joints, bones
Risk factors for S. Aureus infection
Diabetes, chronic illness
HIV positive
Elderly, newborns, malnourished
Surgical/burn patients
Prosthetics
Etc.
prosthetics vs infection (???)
“Amputations can be the result of sepsis. Alternately, if you have an amputation, you could develop a pressure injury from a prosthetic or adaptive/assistive device and this could result in an infection that could cause sepsis.”
infectious diseases caused by STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
Osteomyelitis
Respiratory tract infections
Infectious (septic) arthritis
Septicemia
Endocarditis
Toxic shock syndrome
Food poisoning
Skin infections (cellulitis, mastitis)
management (when infected by S. AUREUS??)
..
diagnosis
Diagnosis - culture
treatment
Treatment - antibiotics
S. Aureus infection – PROGNOSIS
Prognosis is generally good although some strains of S. aureus are particularly difficult to treat
E.g. MRSA
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin = antibiotic
“Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a group of gram-positive bacteria that are genetically distinct from other strains of Staphylococcus aureus.”
“MRSA is responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans.”
how do S. Aureus strains adapt to antibiotics
“Intrinsic Antibiotic Resistance. The resistance rates of S. aureus infection and multidrug resistant strains are increasing, making the clinical anti-infective treatment more difficult.”
“Staphylococcus aureus is notorious for its ability to become resistant to antibiotics.”
“Staphylococcus aureus is capable of becoming resistant to all classes of antibiotics clinically available and resistance can develop through de novo mutations in chromosomal genes or through acquisition of horizontally transferred resistance determinants.”