Medically important Microbes Flashcards by Jennifer Langford

Staphylococcus aureus

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Virulence factors:
Coagulate clots blood to stop phagocytosis, biofilm, Protein A can bind to HC of antibodies, making it look ‘self’

Diseases it causes: Skin infection, bone infection, endocarditis, bacteraemia

Transmission: Contact with discharging wound, normal flora in some people

Treatment: Hand hygiene, sterilisation, disinfection,

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E. Coli

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram –

Bacillus shape
Facultative anaerobe

Virulence factors: Adhesins, Haemolysins, K antigens making the biofilm

Diseases it causes: UTI’s, bladder infections

Transmission: Opportunistic normal flora of the colon

Treatment: Antibiotics

Symptoms: UTI

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Bordella Pertusis 

Type of microorganism: Bacteria
Gram -
Coccobacillus
Aerobic

Virulence factors:

Encapsulated

Motile

flagellum like structure

Diseases it causes: Whooping cough

Transmission: respiratory droplets

Treatment: Vaccine, antibiotics

Symptoms: Cough, fever, etc.

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Clostridium Tetani

Type of microorganism: Bacteria
Gram -
Bacillus shape

Strict anaerobe

Virulence factors: Tetanospasmin Toxin

Diseases it causes: Tetanus

Transmission: inoculation of rusted metal

Treatment: Antitoxin, anticonvulsive, antibiotics

Symptoms:

Muscle spasms and locked muscles, starting with jaw

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Streptococcus Pneumoniae

Type of microorganism: Bacteria
Gram +

Double cocci

Facultative anaerobe

Virulence factors:

Antiphagocytic capsule

Pneumolysin toxin

Diseases it causes:

Pneumonia

Meningitis

Transmission: Respiratory droplets
Autoinoculation in RT

Treatment: Penicillins, fluids and rest

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Streptococcus pyogenes

Type of microorganism: Bacteria,

Gram +

Cocci in chains

Facultative anaerobe

Virulence factors: Attachment proteins, antiphagocytic capsules, pyrogenes toxins

Diseases it causes: Strep throat, Rheumatic fever, heart disease, scarlet fever

Transmission:

Direct contact

Droplet inoculation

Treatment:

Amoxycillin without delay

Prevent with hygeine

Symptoms: Temperature, rash, headache, sore mouth, palpable lymph nodes.

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Salmonella Typhi

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram –

Bacillus shape

Facultative Anaerobe

Virulence factors: Flagella

Diseases it causes: Typhoid

Transmission:

Faecal Oral route

Direct contact

Normal flora

Treatment: Antibiotics, fluids, preventative vaccine

Symptoms: Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain

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Clostridium Perfringens

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram +

Bacillus
Anaerobe

Virulence factors:

Spore forming

Toxins

Diseases it causes: Food poisoning

Transmission: Ingestion of contaminated food

Treatment: Oral rehydration, IV fluid, Antibiotics, Vaccine

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Vibrio cholerae

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram –

Curved Bacillus

Facultative Anaerobe

Virulence factors: Suppresses normal GIT flora. Has a toxin which causes rice water stool

Diseases it causes: Cholera

Transmission:

Faecal oral route

Direct contact

Treatment: Oral rehydration, IV fluid, antibiotics, vaccine

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Neisseria Gonorrhoea

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram –

Diplococi
Aerobe

Virulence factors: Pili, proteins

Diseases it causes: STI

Transmission: Sexual, transplacental

Treatment: Antibiotics

Symptoms: Pain and burning while urinating, pain

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Treponema Pallidum

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Black Dieterle
Spiral shape

Microaerophilic

Virulence factors: No specific virulene factors

Diseases it causes: Syphilis

Transmission: Sexual, transplacental

Treatment: Penicillin

Symptoms: Rashes, anaemia, deaf Hutchinson’s teeth, jaundice

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Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Type of microorganism: Bacteria
Acid Fast stain
Bacillus shape

Strict aerobe

Virulence factors: Mycolic acid cell wall, toxic cord factor which prevents leukocytes, enzymes.

Diseases it causes: TB, Invades the lung epithelium

Transmission: Airborne droplets

Treatment: Antibiotics

Symptoms: Mild flu, cough, sweats, chest pain

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Neisseria Meningitis

Type of microorganism: Bacteria

Gram –

Double Cocci

Strict Aerobe

Virulence factors:

Endotoxin which kills RBC. Polysaccharide capsule – antiphagocytic

Fimbriae

Diseases it causes: Meningococcal disease

Transmission: Respiratory droplets

Treatment: Diagnosed by blood or CSF. antibiotics and IB, anti-convulsive and cortisone sedatives.

Symptoms: Headache, fever, vomiting, convulsion, rash, bruising
stiff neck

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Hepatitis B 

Type of microorganism: Virus
DNA virus
Enveloped Virus

Diseases it causes: Hep B (chronic and acute)

Transmission: Infected blood or bodily fluids containing blood = inoculation, sex

Treatment: Most can clear spontaneously; you might need a liver transplant

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HPV

Type of microorganism: Virus

DNA Virus
Non - enveloped

Virulence factors: Only occurs in keratinocytes = outer surfaces

Diseases it causes: Normal = skin warts, more severe = cervical cancer

Transmission: Skin to skin contact = sexual

Treatment: Freeze off the warts

Symptoms: warts

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Rotavirus

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Type of microorganism: Virus
RNA virus
Non enveloped

Diseases it causes: Gastro

Transmission: Faecal oral route

Treatment:

Oral rehydration and rest

Oral vaccine

Symptoms:

Herpes Simplex Virus 2

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Type of microorganism: Virus
DNA virus
Enveloped

Virulence factors: It can be dormant and live in DR ganglion. Can be systemic and local

Diseases it causes: Herpes

Transmission: Sexually or perinatally

Treatment: Acyclovir for at risk

Symptoms: Flu like, blisters around mouth and genitals

Varicella Zoster Virus
(herpes virus)

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Type of microorganism: Virus

DNA virus

Enveloped

Virulence factors: Injects conjunctiva which can replicate

Diseases it causes: Chickenpox and shingles

Transmission: Coughing, direct contact with rash blisters

Treatment: Vaccine available for babies

Symptoms: Fever, inflamed rash skin

HIV

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Type of microorganism: Virus
RetroVirus

RNA Virus

Enveloped

Virulence factors: Glycoproteins GP120-GP41 which can recognise and bind to CD4 T Helper Cells and kills them

Diseases it causes: HIV and then later AIDs

Transmission: Rich bodily fluids
Perinatally

Treatment: Combination ART therapy

Influenza A

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Type of microorganism: Virus
8 segments of RNA

Enveloped virus

Virulence factors: Hemagglutinin, Neuraminidase= allows the virus to enter and exit cells

Diseases it causes: The flu

Transmission: Direct contact, respiratory drops being inhales

Treatment: Rest, fluids, painkillers

Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, weakness, runny nose etc

Candida Albicans

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Type of microorganism: Yeast , dimorphic

Virulence factors: Can form biofilms
Acid proteases to help evade the immune system
Can morph into hyphae form

Diseases it causes: Thrush
Esophagitis
Candidemia – in the blood (check eyes)

Transmission: Opportunistic normal flora of the epithelium

Treatment:

Diagnosis

Culture then MALDI - TOF, Molecular - RT - PCR, PCR
Danger of misdiagnosis
Candida albicans grow green

Treat via antifungal cream or medication.

Cryptococcus Neoformans

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Type of microorganism: Fungi
Yeast

Virulence factors: Has a huge capsule

Diseases it causes: Meningitis
Lung infections
Some skin borne and joint infections

Transmission: Pigeon droppings NO person to person transmission

Treatment: Diagnose using Indian ink, due to the thick capsule

Pneumocystis jiroveci

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Type of microorganism: Fungi

Yeast

Diseases it causes: Pneumocystis, pneumonia

Transmission: Transmission occurs through air – person to person

diagnosis:

Symptoms are similar to normal pneumonia

Can use PCR, microscopy, serology or a biopsy to diagnose

Symptoms: one of the first indicators of the AIDs pandemic

Sporothrix schenkii

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Type of microorganism: Fungi
Dimorphic

Diseases it causes: Sporotrichosis – rose gardeners’ disease

Transmission: Via inoculation / puncture

Treatment: Treatment can take up to 6 months

**Tinea**

**Type of microorganism:** Fungi Mould **Virulence factors:** Hyphae produce athrospores that can adhere to keranocytes **Diseases it causes:** Tinea – athletes foot. Can be: Pedis, Corporis, cruris **Transmission:** Direct skin contact **Symptoms:** Red skin rash

**Aspergillus**

**Type of microorganism**: Fungi Mould **Virulence factors:** Spores **Diseases it causes:** Invasive aspergillosis in the lungs, and sometimes the brain. **Transmission:** Airborne spores from rotting veggies and materials **Symptoms:** Dry cough and fever, perpetuating into pleuritic chest pain and haemoptysis. Can be diagnosed by Microscopy, culture (from sputum), histology, radiography

**Malaria**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite Protozoa Blood, CNS **Species**: Five Species 1. _Plasmodium. Falciparum (most severe)_ 2. P. Ovale 3. P. Vivax 4. P. Malariae 5. P. Knowlesi **Important features:** Achieve very high parasitaemia – anaemia, hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis _Rosetting_ – clustering of unparasitized cells around infected ones – exacerbates obstruction of capillaries _Resistant_ **Symptoms:** Fever, chills, Sweat *‘Fever from a returning traveller is malaria until proven otherwise’* 650k deaths **Transmission: (SMGS)** Sporozoites --\> human host RBC Sporozoites (ASR) --\> merozoites Merozoites (SR) --\> gametocytes Gametocytes --\> mosquito which then undergo meiosis à sporozoites **Treatment and prevention** _Treatment_: Quinine (old treatment due to side effect of ringing ears) Doxycycline (side effects) NO vaccine Artesunate _Prevention_ Mosquito nets, spraying, prophylaxis for travellers, DEET

**Trichomonas**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite, Protozoa Urogenital **Species:** Trichomonas vaginalis **Features:** Anaerobic parasite Causes ulceration of the cervix **Transmission:** Sexual **Symptoms:** Smelly & frothy vaginal discharge Lower abdominal discharge **Diagnosis**: Stool exam **Treatment and prevention:** _Treatment_ Metronidazole

**Toxoplasma Gondii**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite Protozoa CNS, Lymph nodes **Features:** Invade mucousal membranes **Transmission:** Obtained from kittens Eating food _contaminated by cat faeces_ **Diagnosis:** Serology Histology Radiology **Symptoms:** Asymptomatic can get muscle pain and cerebral if immunocompromised

**Giardia**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite Protozoa GIT **Important features**: Flagella Multiply and colonise quickly the small bowel **Symptoms:** Abdominal pain Nausea Greasy, smelly and floaty stool Malabsorption **Transmission:** Faecal oral route through contaminated water Direct contact **Treatment and prevention:** _Treatment_: Metronidazole Tinidazole _Prevention_ Avoid contaminated water **Diagnosis** = Stool exam

**Hookworms**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite Helminth, Nematode **Species:** * Ancylostoma duodenale* * Necator americanus* **Features:** Simple life cycle Can burrow through skin Small bowel location Suck blood from GI tract \>40m infected worldwide **Transmission:** Eggs in faeces (Faecal oral) Larva hatches and penetrates into the skin of the feet – direct contact Migrate à small intestine **Symptoms:** Skin itch Diarrhoea and abdominal pain Iron deficiency **Treatment :** Albendazole (chocolate tabs) **Diagnosis**: look for eggs

**Filariasis**

**Type of microorganism:** Parasite, Helminth, Nematode **Species:** 4 species of Mozzie vectors * Anopheles* * Culex* * Aedes* * Mansonia* **Important features:** They are asymptomatic whilst the larvae mature – up to 5 years **Symptoms:** Lymphadema **Diagnosis:** Midnight Smear **Treatment**: Doxycycline **Transmission Patterns:** Mosquitoes Larvae enter via a skin wound, migrate and then live in lymphatics – cause blockages etc.

**Enterobius**

**Type of Microorganism:** Parasite, Helminth Nematode **Important factors:** Mainly infect children aged 5-10 **Symptoms:** Itchy anal area **Test:** Sellotape test in the morning to see eggs **Treatment:** Mebendazole (should be given to the whole family **Transmission patterns:** Worms live in intestine and females migrate out at night to lay eggs outside the anus

Medically important Microbes Flashcards

(33 cards)