25a Plague, Tularemia, Brucellosis Flashcards
What is the bacteria that causes bubonic and pneumonic plague?
Yesinia pestis
What are the general properties of Yesinia pestis? Shape and Gram status? O2 status? Lactose status? What family of bacteria? Motile? Catalase? Oxidase?
Large rod-shaped (coccobacillary) Pleomorphic Gram - with bipolar staining Aerobic or faculative aerobic Non-lactose fermenter Family: Enterbactericeae Non-motile Catalase + oxidase negative
What are the three types of stains for Y. pestis?
Wright’s stain
Geimsa stain
Wayson stain
What are the staining Dx features of Geimsa and Wayson staining fo Y. pestis?
“Safety pin” stain = stains on both ends, but not in the middle.
Bi-polar staining
What other bacteria are in family Enterocactericeae?
Y. pestis
Y. pseudotuberculosis
Y. enterocolitica
What is the cycle of transmission of bubonic plague?
Bubonic means very large lymph nodes.
Flea to Mammal (usually rodents or cats) cycle
Details:
flea aquires Y. pestis after a blood meal
Y. pestis obstructs the foregut
Upon next meal, the flee regurgitates Y. pestis into mammal bloodstream
What is the cycle of transmission of pneumonic plague?
Bubonic plague can lead to secondary pnuemonia
Pnuemonia can now spread via respiratory droplets
Respiratory droplets from animal to human or human to human.
What are the circumstances of urban plague?
Animal epidemics ("epizootics") among black rats and their fleas. As rats die, fleas seek new hosts aka humans
What are the circumstances of rural plague?
What are the modes of acquisition?
Sporatic cases usually related to travel
10 cases per year in Southwestern U.S. (near the “four corner states)
Acquired by… Flea bite; hand contact with infected mammal; contact with domestic pets
What are natural hosts for bubonic fleas?
Rodents and cats
Is Yersinia pestis INTRA or EXTRA cellular?
Both intra and extracellular pathogenesis.
What are the pathogenic qualities of EXTRAcellular Yersinia pestis?
Are fleas diseased by Yersinia? Why are humans?
CAPSULE required antiphagocytic (F1 antigen)
Capsule has antiphagocytic properties at 37 degrees, but not at 28 degrees. Therefore mammals suffer illness, but fleas do not.
What are the pathogenic qualities of INTRAcellular Yersinia pestis?
V and W antigens are needed for survival within macrophages
There can be persistence within mammilian monocytes
What toxins are present in Yersinia pestis?
Classical LPS endotoxin
Exotoxin
In summary, what are the pathogenic qualities of Yersinia pestis?
CAPSULE
V and W antigens
LPS endotoxin
Exotoxin
What are the clinical features of…
Bubonic plague? (also what is incubation period)
Pneumonic plague?
Septicemic plague?
B: flea bite, 2-6 days incubation, fever, malaise, and painful lymphadenopathy
P: fever, cough, shortness of breath (rapid death, if not treated)
S: flea bite, widespread dissemination via blood, shock,
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation DIC, skin hemorrhages aka “black death,” plague meningitis, necrosis of digits
Does immunity develop to Y. pestis?
Is there a vaccine?
Antibody develops and is protective
Inactivated vaccine is used by military
What is Dx of Yersinia pestis?
Bubo aspirate
Blood culture
Serology
What are the features confirmed in…
Bubo aspirate
Blood culture
Serology
Aspirate: usually gram stain and culture positive, confirmed by flourescent antibody FA microscopy
Blood: usually positive, may have high number of organisms visible on peripheral smear
Serology: 4x rise in antibody to F1 Capsule antigen
What is the Tx for Yersinia pestis?
10 days of tetracycline, streptomycin, or chloramphenicol