5.1: Human Pathogens

Question 1

When an unknown biological sample arrives in the lab for assessment and further characterization, the lab must take ______.

Answer 1

universal precautions

Question 2

All handlers must treat all samples, known or unknown, as ______materials.

Answer 2

potentially hazardous (or pathogenic)

Question 3

When assessing an unknown sample, technicians may make several basic yet essential observations using the ______ techniques.

Answer 3

differential

Question 4

During the process of analyzing a microbial sample, a lab researcher would be certain to note:

Answer 4

(1) the morphological characteristics (size and shape) and

(2) the presence of any observable motility when viewed under a microscope

Then, if possible, they should capture images of any of the characteristics described above or at the very least manually draw the aforementioned observations.

Question 5

Once differential testing has concluded, the technician should also document:

Answer 5

(1) whether the organism was Gram-positive or Gram-negative,

(2) the presence of any chemical reactions such as gas production (bubbling), fermentation, etc. and

(3) any distinct changes in color localized to the organism itself or its surrounding media (e.g. Staph aureus on MSA agar).

Properly documenting these observations significantly aids trained professionals in identifying the causative agent and selecting the appropriate treatments against foreign microbes.

Question 6

______ occurs when a pathogen gains access to the body’s tissues disrupting their normal physiology.

Answer 6

Infection

Question 7

Infection occurs when……

Answer 7

……a pathogen gains access to the body’s tissues disrupting their normal physiology.

Question 8

How many steps are there in the Infection Process?

Answer 8

There are 5 steps of the infection process

Question 9

What are the 5 Steps in the Infection Process?

Answer 9

1. Entry
2. Attachment
3. Invasion
4. Evasion
5. Exit & Transmission

Question 10

What is the FIRST of 5 Step Infection Process?

Answer 10

Entry: Pathogens use portals of entry, mucus membranes or parenteral entry, to gain access to host tissues.

Question 11

What is the SECOND of 5 Step Infection Process?

Answer 11

Attachment: The pathogen attaches and binds to specific tissue surfaces by using its adhesin factors.

Question 12

What is the THIRD of 5 Step Infection Process?

Answer 12

Invasion: The pathogen invades deeper into the host’s tissues and secures nutrients for growth and multiplication.

Question 13

What is the FOURTH of 5 Step Infection Process?

Answer 13

Evasion: To successfully multiply, the pathogen must evade immune system defenses. Pathogens can a) “hide” from immune cells by entering the host’s cells (intracellular pathogen), masking its antigens, producing surface molecules similar to the host’s (antigen mimicry), or changing its antigens over time (antigen variation); b) undermine the host’s immune response by avoiding phagocytosis or causing immune suppression.

Question 14

What is the FIFTH of 5 Step Infection Process?

Answer 14

Exit and transmission: Pathogens use a portal of exit to leave the host and be transmitted to a new host. Modes of transmission can be direct or indirect. Depending on the mode of transmission, transmission precautions should be followed in addition to standard precautions.

Question 15

True or False: Humans have 5 times the amount of Bacterial Cells in our bodies than we do our own Eukaryotic Cells.

Answer 15

False. We have 10 times the amount of Bacterial Cells

Question 16

Process of identification uses ___1___ and ___2___.

Answer 16

1. Observation
2. Differential Testing

Question 17

During the Process of Identification, Observation uses ___1___ to view the pathogens ___2___ & ___3___.

Answer 17

1. Microscopy
2. Morphology
3. Motility

Question 18

After Observation the next step in the Process of Identification is ______.

Answer 18

Differential Testing

Question 19

Differential Testing involves the use of ___1___, ___2___, and ___3___.

Answer 19

1. Gram-Stain Status
2. Chemical Reactions
3. Plating Observations (Selective or Differential Plates)

Question 20

Pathogenicity is……

Answer 20

The ability of a microbe to cause a disease

Question 21

Virulence is…….

Answer 21

The ease of a pathogen to infect host and cause disease

Question 22

The ability of a microbe to cause a disease

Answer 22

Pathogenicity

Question 23

The ease of a pathogen to infect host and cause disease

Answer 23

Virulence

Question 24

Parenteral Entry mean what?

Answer 24

Pathogens the infect using means that aren’t the GI tract.

Question 25

When a pathogen attaches itself to a cell using molecules on its surface which bind to receptors on the target cell in the host is called what?

Answer 25

Ligand and Adhesion Factor

Question 26

What are two types of transmissions of pathogens?

Answer 26

1. Direct Contact
2. Indirect Contact

Question 27

Direct Contact Transmission

Answer 27

Is Direct contact between the source of pathogen and host

Question 28

Is Direct Contact between the source of pathogen and host

Answer 28

Direct Contact Transmission

Question 29

Indirect Contact

Answer 29

No Direct contact between the source of pathogen and host

Question 30

No Direct contact between the source of pathogen and host

Answer 30

Indirect Contact

Question 31

What AIIR stand for?

Answer 31

Airborne
Infection
Isolation
Rooms

Question 32

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Question 37

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Question 39

Answer 39