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Gram Positive Rods Flashcards

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1
Q

Non-Spore Formers

A
  • Listeria
    ^ L. monocytogenes
  • Corynebacterium
    ^ C. diptheriae
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2
Q

Spore Formers

A 
- Bacillus AEROBIC
     ^ B. anthracis
     ^ B. cereus
- Clostridium ANAEROBIC
     ^ C. perfringens
     ^ C. botulinum
     ^ C. tetani
     ^ C. difficile
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3
Q

Branching Gram + Rods

A
  • Actinomyces ANAEROBIC

- Nocardia AEROBIC

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4
Q

Lysteria

A 
Non-Spore Former
Gram + Rod
- short slender rods
- intracellular parasites
- tumbling motility
- small B-hemolytic colonies
- found in livestock
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5
Q

Listeria monocyogenes

A

Gram + Rod
Only species pathogenic to humans
- infections usually food borne
- grows at 4C - REFRIGERATION DOES NOT HINDER GROWTH
- found in those with suppressed immune systems
- pregnant women, babies, old people

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6
Q

Listeria monocytogenes

Disease

A
  • Septicemia
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Meningitis
  • Fetus-spontaneous abortions
  • Neonatal meningitis
    • common cause; transferred during birth

Disease type dependent on where the infection occurs

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7
Q

L. Monocytogenes Pathogenesis

A
  • Phagocytosed
  • Grows in cytoplasm
  • Reorganizes cellular actin for locomotion
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8
Q

L. Monocytogenes

Treatment and Prevention

A
  • Antibiotics
  • Proper food handling
  • Expiration Dates
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9
Q

Corynebacterium

A
  • Widely distributed in nature
  • Pleomorphic: many sizes and shapes
  • Palisading (arranged parallel)
  • Irregular staining
  • Non-motile
  • Unencapsulated
  • Facultative anaerobes
  • Growth on standard media (blood agar)
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10
Q

Corynebacterium diphtheria

A
  • Infection of URT
    • grey PSEUDOMEMBRANE forms covering throat and nose
  • Pathogenic strains have exotoxins
    • cause CNS and cardiac problems
    • inhibits protein synthesis (EF-2)
    • On phage: must integrate into chromosome
  • Small grey colonies on blood agar
  • childhood vaccination
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11
Q

C. Diphtheria

Clinical Significance

A 
Respiratory
- localized in throat; spread via droplets
- Toxin inhibits protein synthesis
     - Heart and CNS issues
- PSEUDOMEMBRANE
Cutaneous
- from puncture or deep cut
- grey membrane
- rare: exotoxins causing tissue necrosis
Asymptomatic carriers
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12
Q

C. Diphtheria

Identification

A 
Clinical Observation
- pharyngitis
- fever
- swelling of neck
- GREY PSEUDOMEMBRANE
Definitive
- culture
     - TINSDALE AGAR (Potassium TELLURITE)
Assay for toxin
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13
Q

C. Diphtheria

Treatment and Prevention

A 
Treatment
- antibiotics
- neutralize toxin
Prevention
- Toxoid immunization (antigenic)
- childhood immunizations
- DTaP
     - Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
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14
Q

Bacillus

A

Large Gram + Rod

  • aerobic
  • ubiquitous in soil or water
  • can have airborne spread
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15
Q

B. cereus & B. anthrax

A

Cereus - food poisoning
Anthraces - anthrax from livestock

Closely related; differ in virulence factor toxin

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16
Q

Bacillus cereus

A
  • MEDIAL Spore (middle of bacteria)
  • Found in GI tract and nature
  • Virulence Factors:
    • Enterotoxins
    • Spores
  • Food poisoning
  • Large and feathery colony
  • B-hemolytic
  • Motile
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17
Q

B. Cereus

A 
FRIED RICE SYNDROME: spores not killed by boiling
-germinate if not refrigerated properly
- produce ENTEROTOXINS
     - food poisoning
     - 2 types enterotoxins
          ^ Heat Stable: Vomiting
          ^ Heat Liable: diarrhea
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18
Q

B. Anthracis

A
  • Widely distributed in nature
    • primarily in livestock; humans infected through contact
  • Virulence factors:
    • Capsule
    • Spores: medial spores
    • Exotoxins that allows cell and tissue destruction
  • EXTREMELY VIRULENT
  • Bamboo sticks
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19
Q

Anthrax Disease

A
  • Cutaneous: spores enter through cuts
  • PAINLESS ulcer with a black center (ESCHAR)
  • Systemic
  • INHALATION: PULMONARY
    • inhale; presents with fever, chest pain, shortness of breath
    • 100% mortality if not treated
  • GI
    • infected meat; GI symptoms
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20
Q

B. Anthracis

Pathogenesis

A
  • Capsule
    -PROTEIN; poly-D-glutamic acid
  • Two Exotoxins
    • EDEMA FACTOR: elevates intracellular cAMP = severe edema
    • LETHAL FACTOR: kill signal transduction; apoptosis of macrophages
      ^ necrosis
  • PROTECTIVE ANTIGEN: delivers exotoxins
    • needed for toxin factor effects!
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21
Q

B. Anthracis

Growth and Identification

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Medial oval spores
  • Non-hemolytic
  • Irregular borders
  • Non-motile
  • Encapsulated
  • Detection biz immunofluorescence assay
22
Q

B. Anthracis

Treatment and Prevention

Study These Flashcards
A

Treatment: antibiotics
Prevention: vaccine if high risk; prophylaxis antibiotics if exposed

ONLY KILL SPORES WITH AUTOCLEAVING

23
Q

B. Anthracis

Bioterrorism

Study These Flashcards
A

Why?

- ease- very hard to detect

24
Q

Clostridium

Study These Flashcards
A

TERMINAL SPORES

  • found in nature
  • obligate anaerobes
  • motile
  • Virulence Factors
    • capsules
    • potent exotoxins
25
Gram Positive Rods
``` Non-Spore Formers - Corynebacterium - Listeria - Lactobacillus - Actinmyces - Nocardia Spore Formers - Bacillus - Clostridium ```
26
Spore Forming Gram Positive Rods
``` Aerobic - Bacillus - anthracis - cereus Strict Anaerobes - Clostridium - perfringens - tetani - botulinum ```
27
Non-Spore Forming Gram Positive Rods
- Coryenbacterium - Listeria - Lactobacillus - Actinomyces - Nocardia
28
Clostridia Species
- C. Perfringens - C. botulinum - C. tetani - C. Difficile
29
C. perfringens
- Histotoxin: tissue destruction - Gas gangrene, food poisoning - normal flora of vaginal and GI tract - cause gas gangrene (NECROSIS) - high mortality
30
Clostridium perfringens | Disease
``` CRUSHING INJURY GAS GANGRENE - tissues and muscles - spores enter body; toxins cause death - fermentation of tissue produces gas (gas=virulence factor) - more dangerous; fatal in days CELLULITIS - tissue only -similar but no muscle damage FOOD POISONING ```
31
C. Perfringens | Pathogenesis
- Secretes exotoxins - Alpha Toxin REQUIRED for virulence; degrades cell membranes & lyses cells - Hydrologic enzyme facilitate necrosis - Enterotoxins: GI illness
32
C. Perfringens | Identification
- clinical presentation - anaerobic culture on blood agar - double zone of hemolysis in blood agar
33
C. Perfringens | Treatment and Prevention
- immediate removal of foreign matter - debride and remove tissue - EXPOSE WOUND TO O2 - amputate - high doses antibiotics
34
Clostridium botulinum
- Ubiquitous spores - Produces strong neurotoxin - muscles unable to flex or tense - FLACCID paralysis - progressive paralysis leads to respiratory failure
35
C. Botulinum | Clinical Significance
- Foodborne (classic) botulism: most common - eat toxin - Wound botulism - wound contaminated with cells or spores and produces toxins - Infant botulism: FLAPPY BABY SYNDROME - immature microbial flora (aka immature immune system) makes kiddos susceptible
36
C. Botulinum | Treatment and Prevention
Treatment: Antitoxin and Antibiotics Prevention: Toxin inactivated by boiling; AUTOCLEAVING of SPORES
37
Clostridium tetani | Tetanus
OPPOSITE TO BOTULISM - found ubiquitously in soil - spores enter via puncture wounds/trauma - produces neurotoxin which prevents muscle relaxation - SPASTIC paralysis - Rare - immunization - extremely anaerobic
38
Tetnus
- initial spasms at site of infection - lockjaw syndrome - spreads elsewhere - 50-60% mortality due to respiratory failure
39
Tetanus | Treatment and Prevention
``` Treatment: - start immediately - antitoxin - hyper immune immunoglobulin - antibiotics Prevention: - toxoid vaccine - DTaP with booster Post Exposure Prophylaxis ```
40
Clostridium difficile
- minor component of normal colon flora - opportunistic - found often in hospitals - because spores = hard to eradicate
41
C. Difficile | Disease
- aggressive healthcare pathogen - majority of infections involve healthcare - antibiotics increase risk by disrupting normal colonic flora - opportunistic pathogen - PSEUDOMEMBRANOUS COLITIS - GI symptoms that can progress to toxic megacolon, sepsis, and death
42
C. Diff | Treatment and Prevention
Treatment: stop predisposing drug (antibiotics); reconstitute normal gut flora Prevention: reduce use of associated antibiotics
43
Actinomyces
- Ubiquitous in environment and body (normal flora) - Branching - Grows anaerobically - Pathogenic in immunocompromised individuals
44
Actinomyces | Epidemiology
- chronic, slow developing infections - no person to person spread - low virulence; only causes disease if mucosal barrier is disrupted
45
Actinomyces | Clinical Significance
Yellow pus and abscesses
46
Actinomyces | Identification
- “sulfur granules” in pus - grow in rich media anaerobically - slow growth
47
Actinomyces | Treatment and Prevention
- antibiotics - lasting months - surgical debridement and drainage
48
Nocardia
- breathe in/breaks in skin - strictly Aerobic - low virulence; no person to person spread - effects mostly immunocompromised - opportunistic organism
49
Nocardia | Clinical Significance
- Pneumonia in immunosuppresed patients - Abscesses and necrosis but NO YELLOW PUS! - Avoids phagocytosis via secreted enzymes - Can live in macrophage - Can spread to BRAIN and KIDNEYS
50
Norcardia | Identification
- Poorly stained with Gram stain - Irregular staining - No sulfur granules - Gram +

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