Microbial Diseases Of Nervous System & Eyes Pt. 1

Question 1

What are the two ways in which bacteria can cause nervous system disease?

Answer 1

Infect cells of the nervous system

Bacteria grow elsewhere and release toxins that affect neurons

Question 2

In what way do meningitis and leprosy cause nervous system disease?

Answer 2

By directly infecting the cells of the nervous system

Question 3

In what way do botulism and tetanus cause nervous system disease?

Answer 3

By releasing toxins elsewhere that affect neurons

Question 4

What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis?

Answer 4

Headache and stiffness associated with fever, confusion, altered consciousness, vomiting, photophobia or phonophobia

Question 5

When meningitis occurs, what can it lead to?

Answer 5

Encephalitis which could lead to coma and/or death

Question 6

What are the five species that cause 90% of all bacterial meningitis cases?

Answer 6

Neisseria meningitidis, streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae B, listeria monocytogenes, streptococcus agalactiae

Question 7

What pathogen is most commonly responsible for meningitis in babies less than three months old (newborns)?

Answer 7

Streptococcus agalactiae

Question 8

How is haemophilus influenzae B transmitted?

Answer 8

Respiratory droplets

Question 9

What pathogen most commonly causes meningitis among children under the age of 5?

Answer 9

Haemophilus influenzae B

Question 10

What pathogen is known as the “pneumococcus”?

Answer 10

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 11

Does haemophilus influenzae B cause the flu?

Answer 11

Noooo; the flu is caused by a virus

Question 12

How is streptococcus pneumoniae transmitted?

Answer 12

Respiratory droplets or opportunistic

Question 13

What is the pathogen most likely to cause meningitis in adults?

Answer 13

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 14

How is listeria monocytogenes transmitted?

Answer 14

In contaminated food

Question 15

Where is streptococcus pneumoniae found normally?

Answer 15

Throat of 75% of humans

Question 16

Listeria monocytogenes most commonly causes meningitis among what populations?

Answer 16

Elderly, babies, and pregnant women

Question 17

Meningitis caused by listeria monocytogenes is most dangerous among which population?

Answer 17

Pregnant women

Question 18

What pathogen is known as the meningococcus?

Answer 18

Neisseria meningitidis

Question 19

What pathogen is the only one that causes a purple rash developed from meningitis?

Answer 19

Neisseria meningitidis

Question 20

What is the most common age group for those with meningitis caused by neisseria meningitidis?

Answer 20

Under 20 (college kids)

Question 21

How is neisseria meningitidis transmitted?

Answer 21

Respiratory droplets

Question 22

How is meningitis diagnosed?

Answer 22

Based on symptoms and culturing of bacteria from CSF by spinal tap

Question 23

How is meningitis treated?

Answer 23

IV antibiotics

Question 24

Which causes of meningitis have vaccines developed against them?

Answer 24

Streptococcus pneumoniae (PCV), haemophilus influenzae B (Hib), neisseria meningitidis (MCV)

Question 25

What is the other name for leprosy?

Answer 25

Hansen's disease

Question 26

What are signs and symptoms of leprosy?

Answer 26

Skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness

Question 27

What kind of leprosy is more likely to be seen among one with a strong immune system?

Answer 27

Tuberculoid leprosy

Question 28

What type of leprosy is more likely to be seen with someone with a weaker immune system?

Answer 28

Lepromatous leprosy

Question 29

Which type of leprosy involves regions of lost sensation of skin as a result of nerve damage?

Answer 29

Tuberculoid leprosy

Question 30

Which type of leprosy involves progressive, gradual loss of facial features, digits, and other body structures over a long time period?

Answer 30

Lepromatous leprosy

Question 31

Do most people die who get leprosy?

Answer 31

No

Question 32

What is the causative agent for leprosy?

Answer 32

Mycobacterium leprae

Question 33

How is leprosy transmitted?

Answer 33

Person to person contact or breaks in the skin

Question 34

Leprosy can also be acquired from consuming or handling what animal?

Answer 34

Armadillo

Question 35

What are the three forms of botulism?

Answer 35

Foodborne, infant, and wound botulism

Question 36

What is the causative agent for botulism?

Answer 36

Clostridium botulinium

Question 37

Why is Clostridium botulinum dangerous?

Answer 37

Produces 7 neurotoxins and also endospores

Question 38

What is the mechanism used by the clostridium botulinum toxins to inflict damage?

Answer 38

They bind irreversibly to normal neuronal cytoplasmic membranes, preventing muscular contractions, resulting in flaccid paralysis

Question 39

Foodborne botulism usually appears in 1-2 days following the consumption of what foods?

Answer 39

Home-canned foods or preserved fish

Question 40

Progressive paralysis from botulism eventually affects what organ that can result in death?

Answer 40

Diaphragm

Question 41

How can death by asphyxiation result from foodborne botulism?

Answer 41

Inability to inhale due to diaphragmatic paralysis

Question 42

What is the frequency of foodborne botulism?

Answer 42

25 cases per year in the US

Question 43

Is full recovery possible from foodborne botulism?

Answer 43

Yes but slowly over time to regrow neurons

Question 44

What is the frequency of infant botulism?

Answer 44

100 cases per year in the US

Question 45

What food should not be given to infants less than 1 year old due to the possible presence of the endospores of Clostridium botulinium?

Answer 45

Honey

Question 46

What are the symptoms for infant botulism?

Answer 46

Failure to thrive, crying, constipation, "floppy baby syndrome"

Question 47

"Floppy baby syndrome" involving flaccid paralysis is a good indicator of what bacterial disease?

Answer 47

Infant botulism

Question 48

Which type of botulism does NOT involve any GI system involvement?

Answer 48

Wound botulism

Question 49

How does a person get wound botulism?

Answer 49

Contamination of a wound by endospores

Question 50

What is the treatment for botulism?

Answer 50

Repeated washing of GI tract to remove Clostridium, antitoxins, microbial drugs used in infant botulism cases

Question 51

How can botulism be prevented?

Answer 51

Proper canning of food, not giving honey or corn syrup to infants under 1 year old

Question 52

What is the other name for tetanus?

Answer 52

Lockjaw

Question 53

What is one of the earliest signs of tetanus?

Answer 53

Tightening of neck and jaw muscles

Question 54

What sign of tetanus usually follows lockjaw?

Answer 54

Smiling spasm (risus sardonicus)

Question 55

Which is associated with severe spasms: botulism or tetanus?

Answer 55

Tetanus

Question 56

Death resulting from the inability to inhale is associated with which condition: botulism or tetanus?

Answer 56

Botulism

Question 57

Death resulting from the inability to exhale is associated with which condition: tetanus or botulism?

Answer 57

Tetanus

Question 58

How is the cardiovascular system affected by tetanus?

Answer 58

Heartbeat irregularities, fluctuations in blood pressure

Question 59

What is the causative agent for tetanus?

Answer 59

Clostridium tetani

Question 60

What condition inhibits the body's usual function of reciprocal inhibition of musculature due to recurrent body spasms?

Answer 60

Tetanus

Question 61

What is the neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani?

Answer 61

Tetanospasmin

Question 62

How is tetanus acquired?

Answer 62

Through break in the skin or mucous membrane

Question 63

Is tetanus caused by rust?

Answer 63

No

Question 64

What type of environment does Clostridium tetani particularly like?

Answer 64

Rust

Question 65

When untreated, what is the mortality rate for tetanus?

Answer 65

50%

Question 66

What is the frequency for neonatal tetanus mortality?

Answer 66

90%

Question 67

What is the most common way that neonates acquire tetanus?

Answer 67

Infected umbilical stump (especially when cut when a non-sterile instrument)

Question 68

What determines the incubation period of Clostridium tetani?

Answer 68

Distance of infection from CNS (example: slow incubation period if infected foot region)

Question 69

What is the treatment for tetanus?

Answer 69

Thoroughly clean wound to remove endospores, antitoxins, active immunization (tetanus toxoid), antibiotics

Question 70

How is tetanus prevented?

Answer 70

Tetanus vaccine (booster every ten years)

Question 71

The highest tetanus mortality rates are among what populations?

Answer 71

Unvaccinated and people over 60 years of age

Question 72

Can viruses or bacteria more readily cross the blood brain barrier?

Answer 72

Viruses

Question 73

What occurs more frequently: viral, bacterial, or fungal infections?

Answer 73

Viral

Question 74

Which form of meningitis is usually the most mild when it comes to symptoms?

Answer 74

Viral meningitis

Question 75

What kind of meningitis is also known as aseptic meningitis?

Answer 75

Viral meningitis

Question 76

90% of viral meningitis case are caused by viruses in what genus?

Answer 76

Enterovirus

Question 77

What other viruses are known to be able to cause viral meningitis?

Answer 77

Mumps, measles, influenza viruses and HHV 1, 2, 3, and 4

Question 78

What is the most common form of meningitis?

Answer 78

Viral meningitis

Question 79

How is viral meningitis transmitted?

Answer 79

Via respiratory droplets and feces

Question 80

How is viral meningitis diagnosed?

Answer 80

Based on symptoms and absence of bacteria in the CSF

Question 81

What is the treatment for viral meningitis?

Answer 81

There isn't treatment, but patients resolve within about two weeks

Question 82

How can pathogens enter the CNS (a normally axenic environment)?

Answer 82

Breaks in the bones/meninges Medical procedures Travel by peripheral neurons Infect and kill meninges (meningitis)