Unit 1- Clostridiums

Question 1

Clostridiums

Answer 1

Rods, produce identifying endospores, cultures emit putrid odor due to peptide catabolism, anaerobic, catalase negative, oxidase negative, motile, fastidious

Question 2

Saprophytes

Answer 2

Part of normal flora

Question 3

Neurotoxic Clostridia

Answer 3

Clostridium tetani and botulinum

Question 4

Clostridium tetani

Answer 4

TeNT antigenically uniform for vaccine, serology based on flagellar antigens, present in soil, terminal drumstick shaped spores

Question 5

Tetanus Cause

Answer 5

Clostridium tetani introduced into traumatized tissue

Question 6

Tetanus

Answer 6

Neuroparalytic intoxication and tonic-clonic convulsions due to a protein neurotoxins

Question 7

Tetanus Toxin

Answer 7

Tetanospasmin binds to neurons, releasing GABA and glycine, also hydrolyzes docking proteins and prevents vesicles to fuse with the synapse and release neurotransmitters

Question 8

Tetanus Pathogenesis

Answer 8

Spores germinate in anaerobic environment, toxins diffuse, toxins attach to cholinergic receptors and are internalized, vesicles travel to the ventral horns of the spinal cord and cause sustained spasm in affected muscles

Question 9

Spastic Paralysis

Answer 9

Continuous excitatory stimulation from ACH release causes continuous spasm

Question 10

Tetanus Clinical Signs

Answer 10

Retraction of third eyelid, erect ears, grinding teeth, stiff tail, bloat, lockjaw, sawhorse

Question 11

Tetanus Immunology

Answer 11

Acquired resistance depends on circulating antitoxin, reinfection possible, vaccination with toxin possible

Question 12

Tetanus Diagnosis

Answer 12

Gram stain, blood agar in anaerobic culture, injection into antitoxin dosed mouse, PCR

Question 13

Clostridium botulinum

Answer 13

Neuroparalytic intoxication and flaccid paralysis, 7 protein neurotoxins, affects ruminants, horses, mink, and fowl

Question 14

Botulinum Neurotoxins

Answer 14

Act in the neuromuscular junction, binds cholinergic nerve cells and decreases the release of acetylcholine

Question 15

Botulism Pathogenesis

Answer 15

Ingested and toxins absorbed in GI, circulates in blood stream, attaches to neuro-muscular junction of cholinergic nerves, hydrolyzes a SNARE protein, synapse degenerates

Question 16

Botulism Clinical Signs

Answer 16

Muscular incoordination, no changes in consciousness, normal temperature, recumbency, flaccid paralysis

Question 17

Limberneck

Answer 17

Initial clinical sign of botulism

Question 18

Botulism Diagnosis

Answer 18

Demonstration in toxin by injecting into a mouse

Question 19

Botulism Prevention

Answer 19

Stomach purging, antitoxin, vaccination with toxoids, antiserum

Question 20

Histotoxic Clostridia

Answer 20

Enteropathogenic, exotoxins induce necrosis and lethal systemic effects, present as latent spores

Question 21

Nagler Test

Answer 21

Egg yolk agar is used, alpha toxin breaks down agar, antibody binds toxin and prevents lecithin breakdown

Question 22

Black Leg

Answer 22

Clostridium chauvoei causes muscle necrosis and air bubbles

Question 23

Malignant Edema

Answer 23

Clostridium perfringens, nobyi, chauvoei, and sordelli cause edema, hemorrhage, and fibrin in the pericardium

Question 24

Braxy

Answer 24

Clostridium septicum causes hemorrhagic mucus in the abomasum of sheep

Question 25

Black Disease

Answer 25

Clostridium novyi associated with liver parasites causes air bubbles in liver

Question 26

Bacillary hemoglobinuria

Answer 26

Clostridium haemolyticum causes jaundice and hemoglobinuria

Question 27

Enteropathogenic Clostridia Diagnosis

Answer 27

Immunofluorescence of tissue, strict anaerobic conditions, liver in culture, PCR

Question 28

Enteropathogenic Clostridia Prevention

Answer 28

Vaccination, change of pasture

Question 29

Enterotoxemia Type A

Answer 29

Enterotoxin destroys membrane and connective tissue causing yellow lamb disease, hemorrhagic enteritis, necrotic enteritis, and food poisoning

Question 30

Enterotoxemia Co-infection

Answer 30

Clostridia in chickens

Question 31

Enterotoxemia Type B

Answer 31

Beta toxin causes lamb dysentery because proteolytic enzymes destroy colostrum proteins, also causes hemorrhagic enteritis in small intestine

Question 32

Enterotoxemia Type C

Answer 32

Absence of established normal flora in neonates and protease inhibitors favor Beta toxin and cause hemorrhagic enteritis

Question 33

Sheep Struck

Answer 33

Type C enterotoxemia in older sheep, gives the impression the animal has been struck by lightning

Question 34

Enterotoxemia Type D

Answer 34

Epsilon toxin causes overeating and pulpy kidney disease in older lambs after an upset in the gut flora

Question 35

Epsilon Toxin

Answer 35

Increases intestinal permeability, causes vascular damage and fluid loss, encephalomalacia in CNS, and activated by trypsin so has a predilection for older animals

Question 36

Pulpy Kidney

Answer 36

Acute death and rapid kidney breakdown with glycosuria caused by enterotoxemia type D

Question 37

Immunity

Answer 37

Antibodies correlate with anti-toxin levels

Question 38

Lab Diagnosis

Answer 38

Non motile, polysaccharide capsule, spores rare, isolation in blood agar in anaerobic environment, alpha toxin, gram positive rods

Question 39

Growth on blood agar

Answer 39

Small, grey, translucent colonies surrounded by double zone hemolysis

Question 40

Double Zone Hemolysis

Answer 40

Consists of an inner clear zone and outer hazy zone

Question 41

Stormy Fermentation

Answer 41

Clotting of milk followed by gaseous disruption

Question 42

Treatment

Answer 42

Usually too acute, some antitoxin

Question 43

Immunization

Answer 43

Active immunization with bacteria and toxins to induce immune response

Question 44

Clostridium difficile

Answer 44

Gram positive, motile, encapsulated, spore-forming, anaerobic rod causing diarrhea

Question 45

Toxin A

Answer 45

Produced by C. difficile, breaks down cytoskeletal components, disrupting tight junctions in epithelial cells, stimulates polymorphonuclear cell influx

Question 46

C. difficile Pathogenesis

Answer 46

Trigger event disrupts normal flora and C. difficile adheres to large intestine, causing intense inflammatory response including diarrhea

Question 47

C. difficile Treatment

Answer 47

Metronidazole, no vaccines, hand washing

Question 48

C. piliforme

Answer 48

Acute fatal diarrhea disease with liver necrosis: Tyzzer's disease

Question 49

C. sordellii

Answer 49

Fatal myositis and hepatic disease in ruminants and horses

Question 50

C. colinum

Answer 50

Causes ulcerative enteritis and necrotizing hepatitis of fowl

Question 51

C. spiroforme

Answer 51

Mucoid enteritis and antibiotic induced enteritis in rabbits