5.5 Clostridium Part 2 Flashcards
How do you treat tetanus?
manage the symptoms until the toxin resolves itself
How can you prevent tetanus?
vaccine
How often do you need the booster for tetanus?
10 years
What strain causes gas gangrene?
Clsotridium perfringens
What is a general description of clostridium perfringens?
gram positive
anaerboci
spore forming
bacillus bacterium
What causes gas gangrene/
alpha-toxin perfringolysin produced by C. perfringens under anaerobic conditions
Where do we normally find gas gangrene?
on deep puncture wounds
How does perfringolyin function?
forming pores in the plasma membrane of host cells resulting in uncontrolled ion fluxes and cell lysis
What are the symptoms of gas gangrene?
muscle necrosis
swelling of infected areas
fever
intense gas production
Why is there intense gas production in gas gangrene?
robust carbohydrate fermentation under anaerobic conditions
How do you treat gas gangrene?
removal of all infected tissue and heavy antibiotic therapies
What is the third leading cause of food borne illnesses in the US?
C. perfringens
What is the full name for C. diff?
clostridioides difficile
How many infections/deaths occur each year from C. Diff?
500k infections, 29K deaths
What is the highest healthcare acquired infection?
C. diff
What does C. diff cause?
antibiotic associated infectious diarrhea and deadly colitis
What is a general description of the C. diff bacteria?
gram positive
spore forming
anaerobic
bacillus bacterium
Why is it difficult to treat and eliminate C. diff from healthcare facilities?
spore form is resistant to antibiotic treatments and disinfecting measures
Who is normally affected by C. diff the most?
elderly after recent antibiotic usage
How is C. diff transmitted?
fecal-oral route
