23 - Cardiovascular & Lymphatic infections Flashcards
Sepsis
blood infection (systemic inflammation)
Septicemia
microbes or toxins in blood
Symptoms of sepsis
- fever, rapid heart rate, high WBC
- drop in blood pressure (shock)
- organ dysfunction and failure
- most common cause is Gram +
Lymphangitis
inflamed lymph vessels, red streaks
Septic shock
low blood pressure that can no longer be controlled with fluids (gram negative cause this because of endotoxin release)
Anthrax organism
bacteria - Bacillus anthracis
What are the four virulence factors of anthrax?
- edema toxin (interferes with phagocytosis)
- lethal toxin (targets and kill macrophages)
- capsule (made of a.a. residues)
- protective antigen (used on both toxins to bind to target cells)
What are the 3 forms of anthrax?
- cutaneous
- gastrointestinal
- inhalational
Cutaneous anthrax
- most common human cases
- enters through a skin lesion
- papules form, rupture and ulcerated area becomes black with a scab
Gastrointestinal anthrax
- transmitted through ingestion of undercooked food with endospores
- symptoms: nausea, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, ulcerated lesions in GI tract
- 50% mortality
Inhalational anthrax
- symptoms fever, coughing, chest pain
- transmitted by inhalation -> septic shock to death
- appx. 100% mortality
Anthrax treatment
antibiotics are effective early on and human vaccine is available which prevents entry of toxins
Gangrene
death of tissue from loss of blood supply - most common microbe is Clostridium perfringens
Symptoms of gangrene
- ischemia (blood supply interrupted)
- necrosis (death of tissue)
these both can lead to gas gangrene…. - bacteria grow and ferment carbs which leads to gas production and swelling of tissue also toxins produce lead to further bacteria growth
Treatment of gangrene
- gangrene (cleaning and antibiotics)
- gas gangrene (amputation/hyperbaric chamber)
Plague
“black death” - Yersinia pestis - bacteria
Plague transmission
through a flea bite (not person-person) -> bacteria enters bloodstream
other: skinning infected animals, domestic cats (scratches, bites or licks), or rats
Plague symptoms
- proliferates in lymph and blood (grows inside phagocytic cells)
- lymph nodes in groin and armpit become enlarged (buboes)
- fever
What are 2 different types of plague?
- septicemic plague - bacteria enter blood (septic shock)
- pneumonic plague - bacteria enter lungs; spread through lungs (100% mortality)
Plague treatment
antibiotics - vaccine available
Lyme disease organism
Borrelia burgdorferi - spirochete
How is Lyme disease transmitted?
field mice reservoir - nymphal stage of ticks feed on mice and then infect humans
feed 3 times in life cycle (1&2 larva and nymph of mice and 3 as adult on deer)
Lyme disease phases
- 1st phase: (rash at bite site - clear in center) then flu-like symptoms
- 2nd phase: heart is affected, irregular beat requires pacemaker - neurological symptoms - facial paralysis, fatigue, memory less, meningitis, encephalitis
- 3rd phase: months-years, arthritis