Spirochetes

Question 1

What type of shape to Spirochetes have?

Answer 1

Helicoid, with flagella wrapped around them.

Question 2

Name the 3 important genus of spirochetes and diseases they cause

Answer 2

1. Treponema - syphilis, yaws, pinta.
2. Borrelia - Relapsing fever and Lyme disease.
3. Leptospira - Leptospirosis

Question 3

Gram stain of Treponema palladium?

Answer 3

Has G- structure but can’t see it on light microscopy!

Question 4

Can you grow Treponema palladium on culture?

Answer 4

Nope!

Question 5

What do you do to keep Treponema palladium organisms alive for a few days?

Answer 5

Put them in very rich media (albumin, serum) in anaerobic conditions.

Question 6

T/F: Treponema palladium can survive heat, drying, soap, and water?

Answer 6

FALSE

Question 7

How are Treponema Palladium transited?

Answer 7

SEX

Question 8

What causes “congenital syphilis” and how does it present?

Answer 8

Cause: infected mother to child.
Presents: still birth, abortion, syphilis lesions on baby.

Question 9

What is the incubation of T. palladium syphilis?

Answer 9

2-6 weeks.

Question 10

What is the name of a primary syphilis lesion, when does it present? When does it heal?

Answer 10

CHANCRE
Presents 1-4 weeks after infection
Heals 1-5 weeks after it appears.

Question 11

What is a secondary syphilis lesion? When does it appear?

Answer 11

Generalized skin rash, appears 2-20 weeks after primary lesion.

Question 12

What are 2 complications of secondary syphilis infection?

Answer 12

Arthritis, renal dysfunction.

Question 13

What are tertiary syphilis lesions called and where do they occur?

Answer 13

Called a Gumma, occur on aortic valve of heart, CNS.

Question 14

What technique is used to demonstrate organs in the lesions?

Answer 14

Darkfield examination of exudate.

Question 15

What antibody test reacts with cardiolipin to detect syphilis?

Answer 15

Wassermann antibody.

Question 16

At what stage of syphilis infection are serological tests positive?

Answer 16

Late primary

Question 17

What is the VDRL (venereal disease research lab) test consist of?

Answer 17

A flocculation test (clumping on a slide) with cardiolipin.

Question 18

Describe the 3 steps of the FTA - ABS test.

Answer 18

1. Patient’s serum absorbed with non-pathogenic treponemes.
2. Serum is then added to a slide with T-pallidum, washed.
3. Addition of a fluorescent antibody for visualization.

Question 19

Which is the major syphilis test used at DHMC?

Answer 19

ELISA

Question 20

What is the name of the test where antibody from the patient reacts in the presence of compliment with living T. Pallidium, causing the organism to lose motility?

Answer 20

TPI (treponema pallidum immobilization)

Question 21

Which 2 conditions can lead to a false positive syphilis test?

Answer 21

Infectious mononucleosis, malaria

Question 22

Do they use PCR for syphilis testing?

Answer 22

NOPE

Question 23

What antibiotic do you use to treat syphilis?

Answer 23

Penicillin

Question 24

Is there a vaccine for syphilis?

Answer 24

NOPE

Question 25

This treponemal disease is transmitted through open sores of the skin. Often in children. Patients show positive syphilis test, primary lesion looks like a raspberry.

Answer 25

Yaws

Question 26

A disease common among children in Syria, caused by T. Pallidum endemicum, treated with penicillin.

Answer 26

Bejel

Question 27

Disease of Central and South America, caused by T. catateum. Causes flat, non - ulcerating lesions of hands, feet, and scalp.

Answer 27

Pinta

Question 28

What 2 bacteria are mostly responsible for causing relapsing fever?

Answer 28

B. Recurrentis, B. Hernsii

Question 29

Which borrelia species is endemic in western USA?

Answer 29

B. Hernsii

Question 30

Which Borrelia species is transferred human to human via the bloody louse?

Answer 30

B. Recurrentis

Question 31

What is the course of disease of relapsing fever?

Answer 31

1. Fever for 4-5 days. 2. Afebrile 7-10 days. 3. 3-10 relapses before full recovery.

Question 32

What stain is used to identify borrelia organisms?

Answer 32

Wright's stain

Question 33

Name 2 antibiotics used to treat Borelia infections.

Answer 33

Penicillin, tetracycline.

Question 34

What is the most common tick bourne disease in the US?

Answer 34

Lyme Disease

Question 35

What is the major reservoir of lyme disease?

Answer 35

White footed mouse

Question 36

How many virulent plasmids does B. burgdorfi carry?

Answer 36

7 linear and 2 cirsular.

Question 37

What causes lyme disease?

Answer 37

Borelia Burgdorfi

Question 38

Name the 3 stages in the pathogenesis of lyme disease.

Answer 38

1. Papule with expanding erythema 3 - 14 days after bite. Headache, fever, stiff neck, malaise. 2. Various neurological and cardiac involvements. 3. Migrating episodes of arthritis that can last years.

Question 39

What diagnostic test is used for Lyme disease?

Answer 39

ELISA

Question 40

What drug is used to treat Lyme disease?

Answer 40

Tetracycline

Question 41

Is there a vaccine for Lyme disease?

Answer 41

Used to be one containing OspA, not anymore.

Question 42

What material does B. Buergfordi not have a requirement for?

Answer 42

IRON

Question 43

How is Leptospirosis transmitted to humans?

Answer 43

Infected urine of rats and dogs

Question 44

Is leptospirosis arthropod-bourne?

Answer 44

NO

Question 45

Which organs does leptospirosis generally invade? (4)

Answer 45

Liver Kidneys meninges conjunctiva

Question 46

What are the symptoms of Leptospirosis?

Answer 46

Muscle pain, photophobia, fever, chills.

Question 47

What is the name of the disease caused by one serotype of Leptospira that causes infection jaundice, renal failure, and hepatic injury.

Answer 47

Weil's disease

Question 48

What 3 drugs are useful against leptospirosis

Answer 48

Penicillin, erythromycin, tetracyclines

Question 49

Is there a vaccine for leptospirosis?

Answer 49

NO