Intro to Medical Microbiology Flashcards
1
Q
categories of microorganisms that can cause infection
A
bacteria virus fungi prions parasites
2
Q
define prion
A
abnormal form of a normally harmless protein
3
Q
common specimen types collected for culture
A
- throat swab (e.g. tonsilitis)
- faeces (e.g. diarrhoea)
- CSF (e.g. meningitis)
- sputum (e.g. pneumonia)
- mid-stream urine (e.g. UTI)
4
Q
outline the properties of microscopy in the diagnosis of bacterial infection
A
fast
not sensitive
5
Q
outline the properties of culture in the diagnosis of bacterial infection
A
slow
sensitive
6
Q
sterile
A
(should be) no contact with external environment
7
Q
non-sterile
A
contact with external environment
8
Q
3 main methods of detecting viruses
A
- PCR
- antigen detection
- serology
9
Q
serology
A
detection of antibodies in the serum - if you know what antibodies are present you’ll get an idea of what infection is present
10
Q
PCR
A
amplification of DNA by several orders of magnitude, generating thousands of copies of a DNA sequence
11
Q
basic infection control measures
A
- wash hands before and after touching patient
- swab stethoscope between patients
- take extra precautions when dealing with patients in isolation
