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Patho - Exam 4 > Infectious Diseases > Flashcards

Infectious Diseases Flashcards

Lecture 32 - Exam 4 (76 cards)

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1
Q

List the different classes of pathogens

A

Viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites

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2
Q

List the characteristics of a virus

A
  • Obligate intracellular pathogen
    cannot reproduce outside of cells
  • Parts include: capsid & genome
  • Some are enclosed w/in an envelope derived from the cytoplasmic membrane of the host cells
  • Cause lysis & death of the host cell during replication
  • Can remain in a latent, nonreplicating state for long periods w/o causing disease
  • Some cause cancer
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3
Q

List example(s) of a virus

A

varicella zoster virus (chicken pox first -> shingles later)
HPV -> cervical cancer

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4
Q

List the characteristics of bacteria

A
  • Prokaryotic
  • Microscopic shapes
    (cocci, bacilli, spirilla)
  • common on high-touch surfaces
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5
Q

List some example(s) of bacteria

A

Spirochete, Mycoplasmas, Rickettsiaceae, Chlamydiaceae

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6
Q

List characteristics of Spirochete

A

Anaerobic bacteria

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7
Q

List example(s) of spirochete

A

Bacteria:
Borrelia burgdorferi - Lyme Disease
Treponema pallidum - Syphilis

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8
Q

List characteristics of Mycoplasmas

A

Much smaller than other bacteria
No cell wall - resistant to cell-wall inhibiting antibiotics like penicillins

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9
Q

List example(s) of mycoplasmas

A

Mycoplasma pneumoniae - Pneumonia

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10
Q

List characteristics of Rickettsiaceae

A
  • Bacteria
  • Obligate intracellular pathogens
  • Transmitted via arthropods vectors (mites, flea, ticks, lice)
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11
Q

List example(s) of Rickettsiaceae

A

Rickettsia rickettsii - Rocky Mountain spotted fever

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12
Q

List characteristics of Chlamydiaceae

A
  • Bacteria
  • Obligate intracellular pathogens
  • Transmitted via person-to-person contact
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13
Q

List example(s) of Chlamydiaceae

A

Chlamydia trachomatis
- sexually transmitted
- causes conjunctivitis in newborns

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14
Q

How do fungi become pathogens?

A
  • Intact immune mechanism and competition for nutrients provided by the bacterial flora normally keep colonizing fungi in check
  • A disease or an antibiotic therapy can upset the balance, permitting opportunistic infections
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15
Q

List characteristics of fungi

A
  • not all fungi are pathogens
  • microscopic
  • can be unicellular (yeasts) or multicellular (molds)
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16
Q

List examples of fungi

A

Superficial mycoses
Systemic mycoses

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17
Q

List characteristics of superficial mycoses

A
  • Fungi
  • Dermatophytosis - grow on the surface
  • Caused by dermatophytes whose infection is limited to the cooler cutaneous surfaces
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18
Q

List example(s) of superficial mycoses

A
  • Ringworm
  • Athletes foot (tinea pedis)
  • Jock itch (tinea cruris)
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19
Q

List characteristics of systemic mycoses

A

Serious fungal infections of the deep tissue - rare
“Fungus that can grow inside our body”

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20
Q

List example(s) of systemic mycoses

A

Candidiasis (yeast infection)
- Opportunistic infection of candida albican, which is commensal flora in skin, mucous membranes & GI tract
Aspergillosis
- A lethal form of pneumonia caused by Aspergillus, a common mold in people with lung diseases or immunocompromised patients

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21
Q

List examples of parasites

A

Protozoa
Helminths
Parasitic arthropods

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22
Q

List characteristics of Protozoa

A
  • Parasites
  • Unicellular animals
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23
Q

List example(s) of Protozoa

A
  • Plasmodium (malaria)
    vector borne via mosquitos
  • Entamoeba histolytica (amebic dysentery, or amoebiasis)
    via contaminated water/food
  • Giardia duodenalis (giardiasis)
    via contaminated water/food
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24
Q

List characteristics of Helminths

A
  • Wormlike parasites
  • Transmission primarily through the ingestion of fertilized eggs (ova) or the penetration of infectious larval stages through the skin
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25
List example(s) of Helminths
Roundworms Tapeworms Flukes
26
List characteristics of parasitic arthopods
- Ectoparasites - May serve as vectors of other infection diseases, such as the bubonic plague
27
List example(s) of parasitic arthropods
mites (scabies) chiggers lice (head, body, pubic) fleas
28
List the different modes of transmission of pathogens
penetration, direct contact, ingestion, inhalation
29
List the different sources of pathogens
endogenous exogenous person fomites animal vector place
30
Describe penetration as a mode of transmission of pathogens
Any disruption may allow the invasion of pathogens, which normally cannot penetrate intact skin or mucous membranes
31
List examples of penetration as a mode of transmission of pathogens
abrasions, burns, needles, insect & animal bites
32
Describe direct contact as a mode of transmission of pathogens
STIs - transmitted by the exposure of the intact skin or membrane to pathogens Congenital infection - infection of a child during gestation or birth from mother (vertical transmission)
33
List examples of congenital infections
"TORCH" - Toxoplasmosis - Others (syphilis, varicella zoster, parvovirus B19) - Rubella - Cytomegalovirus infection - Herpes simplex virus Also HIV
34
Define Congenital infection
Infection of a child during gestation or birth from mother (vertical transmission)
35
Describe ingestion as a mode of transmission of pathogens
typically ingesting contaminated food or water - The low pH of the gastric acid acts as a barrier for many pathogens, but some are resistant to the low pH - the normal bacterial flora of the bowel typically also compete with pathogens
36
What is "infectious dose"?
the minimum amount of pathogen you need to be exposed to to be infected
37
When a pathogen is resistant to stomach pH, how is the infectious dose affected?
When pathogens are resistant to the stomach barrier, the minimum infectious dose is much lower
38
List examples of pathogens that are resistant to the stomach's low pH
shigella (bacteria) giardia (protozoa)
39
List examples of ingestion as a mode of transmission of pathogens
cholera typhoid fever amoebic dysentery food poisoning
40
Describe inhalation as a mode of transmission of pathogens
- Airborne pathogens - The respiratory tract is typically equipped with multiple-tiered defense system Mucous membrane, coughing, antibodies & enzymes, phagocytosis, etc - Smoking & diseases such as cystic fibrosis impair the defense system
41
List examples of inhalation as a mode of transmission of pathogens
- Bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis - Viral infections: Measles, mumps, chickenpox, influenza, common cold, COVID
42
Define endogenous source of pathogens
Opportunistic infection acquired from the host’s own microbial flora
43
Define exogenous source of pathogens
acquired from the environment (water, food, soil, air)
44
Define "person" as a source of pathogens
direct contact with other people
45
Define "fomites" as a source of pathogens
inanimate objects contaminated with infected body fluids
46
Define animal as a source of pathogens
zoonoses - infectious diseases passed from other animal species to humans
47
Define zoonoses
infectious diseases passed from other animal species to humans
48
List examples of zoonoses
Rabies, HIV, plague, influenza, SARS, MERS
49
Define vector as a source of pathogens
biting arthropod
50
List example(s) of pathogens spread by vectors
Lyme disease - deer ticks West Nile virus - mosquitos
51
Define place as a source of pathogens
Nosocomial infection - healthcare associated infections Community acquired infection - non-healthcare associated infections
52
Define nosocomial infection
Healthcare associated infection
53
Define commensalism
The colonizing bacteria acquire nutrition, and the host gets neither benefit nor harm. (commensal bacteria in a human body (normal flora) are 10x more than human cells)
54
Define mutualism
Both the microorganism & the host derive benefits from the interaction
55
Define incidence
the number of new cases of an infectious disease that occur within a defined population (e.g., per 100,000 people) over an established period of time (e.g., monthly, quarterly, yearly)
56
Define disease prevalence
The number of active cases at any given time in a population
57
Define endemic
relatively stable incidence & prevalence in a particular geographic region (ex. common cold is endemic)
58
Define epidemic
an abrupt and unexpected increase in the incidence of disease over endemic rates (obesity is sometimes described as an epidemic in the US)
59
Define pandemic
Refers to the spread of disease beyond continental boundaries (COVID was a pandemic)
60
List examples of pathogens spread via fomites
Rhinovirus through shared toys HIV & HepB via shared syringes
61
Name the characteristics of the stages of the disease course
Incubation period Prodromal stage Acute stage Convalescent stage Resolution stage
62
Describe the incubation period as a characteristic of the stages of the disease course
Active replication of a pathogen without recognizable symptoms
63
Describe the prodromal stage as a characteristic of the stages of the disease course
- Initial appearance of symptoms - Mild fever, myalgia, headache & fatigue Somewhat nonspecific
64
Describe the acute stage as a characteristic of the stages of the disease course
- Max impact of the infectious process - Inflammation & tissue damage More specific
65
Describe the convalescent stage as a characteristic of the stages of the disease course
Progressive elimination of the pathogen
66
Describe the resolution stage as a characteristic of the stages of the disease course
Total elimination of a pathogen
67
List the classes of virulence factors
exotoxins, endotoxins, adhesion factors, evasive factors, invasive factors
68
Define virulence factor
Substances or products generated by infectious agents that enhance their ability to cause disease
69
Describe the pathological functions of exotoxins
- Inactivate key cellular components of host cells Ex. diphtheria toxin inhibits protein synthesis - Superantigens Induce excessive & nonspecific inflammatory responses
70
Describe the pathological functions of endotoxins
Can induce clotting, bleeding, inflammation, hypotension & fever (Endotoxic shock)
71
Describe the pathological functions of adhesion factors (adhesins)
- Bind to macromolecules on the surface of host cells - Adhesion is critical for the colonization of the pathogens - Some pathogens form a mucous layer (slime)
72
Describe the pathological functions of evasive factors
- Inactivate host’s immune system. Ex. leukocidins form pores in the cell membrane of neutrophils and macrophages. - Some pathogens survive and reproduce within phagocytes after phagocytosis by neutralizing lysosomal contents with evasive factors
73
Describe the pathological functions of invasive factors
- Facilitate the penetration of anatomic barriers. Ex. Pseudomonas aeruginosa collagenase breaks skin
74
Define exotoxin
- Proteins released by pathogenic bacteria - Inactivate key cellular components ex. diphtheria toxin inhibits protein synthesis - Many are superantigens inducing excessive & nonspecific inflammatory response
75
Define endotoxin
- Lipids & polysaccharides, not released Ex. lipopolysaccharides - Can induce clotting, bleeding, inflammation, hypotension, and fever (endotoxic shock)
76
Describe the actions of a superantigen
- Bind to the MHC of antigen-presenting cells and T-cell receptors - T cells are activated regardless of the antigen presented on MHC -> Induces excessive & nonspecific inflammatory response

Patho - Exam 4 (6 decks)

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