5.1 Human Pathogens Flashcards
How must all handlers in a lab treat unknown samples?
as potentially hazardous/pathogenic materials
During the initial assessment of a sample what do lab researchers note?
- morphological characteristics (size and shape)
- presence of any observed motility under a microscope
How should a lab researchers annotate their initial assessment of a sample?
capture images or draw the observations
Once differential testing has been concluded what must technicians document?
- gram negative or positive
- presence of any chemical reactions (fermentation, bubbling, gas production)
- distinct changes in color localized to the organism itself or surrounding media
What is the purpose of dichotomous keys?
help technicians identify microorganisms based on their traits
What are the five steps to an infection?
- entry
- attachment
- invasion
- evasion
- exit and transmission
What is the entry phase of an infection?
pathogens use portals of entry to gain access to host tissues
What are the two methods of entry that pathogens can use?
mucus membranes
parenteral entry
What is the attachment phase of an infection?
pathogen attaches to and binds specific tissues surfaces using adhesin factors
What is the invasion portion of an infection?
pathogen invades deeper into the hosts tissues and secures nutrients for growth and multiplication
What is the evasion phase of an infection?
must evade hosts immune defenses to successfully multiply
What are the two methods a pathogen can use to evade?
- hide from immune cells
- undermine hosts immune response
How can a pathogen hide from an immune cell?
- can enter the hosts immune cells
- can mask its own antigens
- can mimic hosts antigens
- antigen variation
How can a pathogen undermine a hosts immune response?
avoid phagocytosis or cause immune suppression
What is the exit and transmission phase of an infection?
pathogens use a portal of exit to leave the host and be transmitted to a new host
