Week 2 - Immunology + Micro Flashcards
What organs make up the upper respiratory system?
Nasal cavity
Nostril
Oral cavity
Pharynx
What organs make up the lower respiratory system?
Larynx
Trachea
Bronchus (left and right)
Lungs
Diaphragm
What are the main functions of the conducting zone?
Filters, warms and moistens the air going into our body and conducts it to the respiratory zone
What is the main function of the respiratory zone?
Gas exchange
The lower respiratory system is free of _____, while the upper respiratory system (nose, nasal cavity and pharynx) has a diverse ____
resident microbiota
microbiome
Haemophilus spp. is a gram negative anaerobe that is grown on ____ agar and requires ____ and ____ to survive
Chocolate
X Factor (Hemin)
V Factor (NAD+)
_____ is the major cause of sepsis and meningitis
H. influenzae
Veillonella spp. is a gram-negative anaerobe that can break down lactate to produce ____ and break down nitrate into ____
ATP
nitric oxide
Staphylococcus spp. is a gram-positive facultative anaerobe that is responsible for:
pneumonia
meningitis
osteomyelitis
toxic shock syndrome
sepsis
scalded skin syndrome
folliculitis
pimples
Diphtheroids are gram-positive aerobes that live in hair follicles, ferment ____, lower skin ____ and can cause ____
carbohydrates
pH
pimples
Alpha-hemolytic streptococci are gram-positive facultative anaerobes grown on ____ agar and are ____ pathogens
blood
opportunistic
What are some signs and symptoms of strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis)?
- pain during swallowing
- bad breath
- fever
- malaise
- headache
Strep throat is caused by streptococcus ___ , which are gram-positive, beta-hemolytic, facultative anaerobes
pyogenes
What are the virulence factors of streptococcus pyogenes?
M protein (C3b inhibitor)
- Disrupts opsonization and lysis of foreign materials
Hyaluronic acid capsule
- camouflage system surrounding cell and allowing it to be undetected by phagocytes
Streptokinases
- what S. pyogenes use to break down clots
C5a peptidase
- chemotaxis (attracts WBC’s to site of infection)
Pyrogenic (erythrogenic) toxins
- releases cytokines
Streptolysin O
- lyses all human blood cells
Scarlet fever (strawberry tongue and skin rash) and rheumatic fever (fever, painful joints, involuntary movements) can both result from ____
streptococcal pharyngitis
How is streptococcal pharyngitis treated?
penicillins (G or V) or amoxicillin
A less common bacterial pharyngitis is caused by ____, which presents as a sore throat, localized pain, fever, oozing of fluid and fluid thickening into pseudomembrane
diphtheria
Corynebacterium diptheria is a pleiomorphic ____ bacteria and is ubiquitous (found on skin, respiratory etc.)
gram-positive
What is the virulence factor of diphtheria and how does it work?
diphtheria toxin (AB toxin)
1) B subunit of diphtheria toxin attaches to receptor
2) endocytosis is triggered
3) Subunit A is released
4) Subunit A destroys elongation factor, preventing mRNA transcription in the nucleus of the human cell
How is diphtheria transmitted?
from P2P via respiratory droplets/skin contact
How is diphtheria treated?
antitoxin, erythromycin, vaccination (DTaP vaccine)
What is the process by which rhinoviruses cause the common cold?
1) ICAM-1 (intracellular adhesion molecule-1) binds to receptor on rhinovirus
2) endocytosis is triggered
3) transcription and translation of virus
Binding between ICAM-1 and rhinovirus is optimal as 33 degrees and binds better as the virus is restricted to the ____ tract
upper respiratory
What helps viruses attach to host cell receptors?
spike proteins