Introduction into Medical Microbiology - Lecture 1 Flashcards
(39 cards)
What is the definition of medical microbiology?
A branch of microbiology concerned mainly with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease in humans
What are the 4 groups of pathogens?
- Fungus
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Parasites
What is a pathogen?
A biological agent capable of causing disease
What is a pandemic?
A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole country or the world at a particular time
What is an epidemic?
A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time
What are some examples of pandemics in the past?
- Plague
- Cholera
- Influenza
- COVID-19
What is the Latin name for bubonic plague?
Yersinia pestis
How was the bubonic plague spread?
- Spread from rodents to humans via a Rat flea vector
What are the two types of plague
- Bubonic plague
- Pneumonic plague
What is one major difference between bubonic plague and pneumonic plague?
Pneumonic plague has a 100% mortality rate without treatment
What are the characteristics of Y.pestis (bubonic plague bacteria)?
- Gram-negative
- Rod shaped
What is the bubonic plague mortality rates when treated and untreated?
- Treated = 1-15% mortality rate
- Untreated = 40-100% mortality rate
What are the 3 pandemics of the plague?
- Plague of Justinian
- Black death
- Modern plague
Common facts of Plague of Justinian
- Affected the Middle East from 541
- Caused massive depopulation around the Mediterranean - around 50% of the population was killed
Common facts of the black death
- Began in 1347
- Spread from the Caspian sea throughout Europe
- Killed approximately 1/3 of Europe’s population
- The plague entered England in 1348 - there was an estimated 1.5 million deaths recorded in 1349
Common facts of the modern plague
- It originated in China in the late 19th century
- It spread from China to Hong Kong then to India
- An estimated 12.5 million people were killed
- It ended in 1959
What were some remedies used for the black death?
- Plague Doctors:
- Wore a mask with a beak filled with scents and garlic to ‘protect’ them from the plague
- Whips:
- People would whip themselves because they believed they had the plague because God was upset with them. The whipping was classed as a punishment
Why were the remedies for the black death so bad?
- They were based on superstition and not evidence-based science
- They often did more harm than good
Examples of bacterial diseases that developed countries are most familiar with
- Tooth decay
- Gastroenteritis - AKA food poisoning
How many people die from bacterial diseases per year?
Approximately 5 million
What did Greenwood et al. say in his medical microbiology book about infections in hospitals?
Around 1 in 190 patients acquire infections while in hospital, sometimes with multiple antibiotic resistant organisms
Why has there been a decline in infection since the early 1900s?
- Antibiotic development
- Vaccinations
- Hygiene standards
- Better general health (diet and lifestyle)
- Better workplace conditions
- Better healthcare services
How does improved nutrition aid the decline of infection?
- Better nutrition allowed people to avoid contracting disease
- It also allowed people to withstand disease once contracted
How does public health aid the decline in infection?
- Information on washing hands and overall hygiene reduces spread of disease
