8. Pathogens Flashcards

1
Q

DEFINE:

  • PATHOGENS
  • INFECTION
  • DISEASE
  • PATHOGENICITY
  • VIRULENCE
  • OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGEN
A

PATHOGENS:
- microbial parasites that are able to cause infection.
*parasitic relationship: one is benefited, the other is harmed
INFECTION:
- situation in which a microorganism is established and (1) growing in a host, (2) causing damage
*damage = destroying body
DISEASE:
- damage or injury to the host that impairs host function (ie you have symptoms!) (infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer, etc.)

PATHOGENICITY:
- the ability of a parasite to inflict damage to the host. (ie can talk about mechanism of pathogenicity)
VIRULENCE:
- measure of pathogenicity.
OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGEN:
- causes disease ONLY in the absence of normal host resistance (ie messed up immune system). The normal microbiota contains opportunistic pathogens.

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2
Q

PATHOGENS:
- define
- do all species have the same virulence properties?
- what determines the outcome (infection, death, no infection) –> what measure?
- do all strains of a species have same pathogenicity?
- ability to cause damage to host depends on WHAT
- pathogen is usually identified by WHAT

A
  • Microorganisms capable of causing disease (damage to the host).
  • Different species have different virulence properties
  • the DOSE! determines the outcome (infection or no infection, death) –> ie lethal dose 50 (number of pathogenic agents (cells/virions) needed to kill 50% of the animal)
  • Not all strains of a species have the same ability to cause disease.
  • depends on a number of VIRULENCE FACTORS
  • usually identified by the set of virulence genes that are carried and expressed.
    Lethal dose 50
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3
Q

what are the 4 steps of infection + explain

A
  1. EXPOSURE to pathogen
    - ie someone coughs on your face or you eat hamburger with bacteria
  2. ADHERENCE:
    - pathogen has to attach to you (outside)
  3. INVASION:
    - going from outside you to inside you/inside tissue
  4. COLONIZATION of tissues and growth
    + produce stuff = leads to damage
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4
Q

pathogens:
- damage to the host is determined by which 2 basic features?
- are they mutually exclusive?

A

INVASIVENESS:
- ability of the microorganism to become established in the host, to overcome the host defenses and to spread in the tissues.
- ie: grows in your muscle
TOXIGENICITY:
- capacity of the microorganism to produce substances known as toxins that damage specific tissues of the host –> specific type/target

*NOT mutually exclusive –> most due to both!

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5
Q

what are examples of virulence factors? (6)
- encoded where?

A

– Adhesins
– Capsules
– Enzymes that destroy host tissues
– Invasins
– Type 3 Secretion Systems (T3SS) and Type 4 Secretion Systems (T4SS).
– Toxins

  • encoded in genome –> makes proteins!
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6
Q

ADHESINS:
- promote what?
- 2 types ish + describe

  • what determines to which site is attaches to?
  • do only pathogens have adhesins?
A
  • Promote specific attachment to the host cell surfaces
  • Fimbriae/Pili: polymers, mediate loose attachment. –> ie grab the thing
  • Afimbrial adhesins: (not filaments) mediate close attachment –> small prot on surface, tight intimate attachment
  • TYPE of adhesin (ie protein F, adhesin P, type 4 pili) –> determines if site of infection is respiratory tract OR urethral epithelial cells or intestinal epithelial cells
  • no! commensals also can have adhesins
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7
Q

CAPSULES:
- describe
- produced by who?
- 2 functions
- essential virulence factor?
- do only pathogens have capsules?

A
  • thick layer of goo (polysacs) on top of cell envelope –> make colonies mucoids
  • Produced by some bacterial pathogens
    1) Prevents the pathogen from being destroyed by host immune cells (phagocytes).
    2) Also mediates attachment to host cells and to other bacteria.
  • essential virulence factor for some bacterial pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae.
  • capsule is NOT only a virulence factor (non pathogenic microorganisms may have a capsule too).
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8
Q

INVASION = WHAT
- what are the 2 barriers

  • some pathogens embed themself in WHAT –> 2 main components?
A

destruction of host tissues
1) Penetration of EPIDERMIS (dead skin = hard to get through): most pathogens use breach in the skin (wounds, surgery, catheter) bc normal skin is almost impossible to breach
2) Penetration of the MUCOSA: destruction of the single-cell layer (+ mucus) or invasion of cells –> infect epithelial cells and/or go into tissue/loose connective tissue

  • in extracellular matrix (ECM) –> collagen and hyaluronic acid! –> forms a mesh and glue things together
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9
Q

RELEASE OF EXTRACELLULAR ENZYMES:
- what is hyaluronic acid? + another name for it?
- which enzyme degrades hyaluronic acid?
- which 3 bacteria produce that enzyme?

  • which enzyme degrades collagen?
  • which enzyme degrades lecithin?
  • what is a benefit of producing those enzymes other than invasion?
A
  • sticky polysaccharide that holds host cells together –> hyaluronan
  • hyaluronidase
  • Staphylococci, streptococci, clostridia
  • Collagenase: degrades the protein collagen present in connective tissues (muscle, cartilage).
  • Lecithinase: degrades lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) in cell membrane (degrade membrane = kill cells) –> causes the lysis of red blood cells and destroys tissue cells.
  • getting nutrients! bc cells are basically bags of nutrients
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10
Q

which bacteria produces lecithinase to lyse host cells + collaganese & hyaluronidase to destroy ECM?
- causes what disease?
- special characteristic?

A
  • clostridium perfringens –> strict anaerobe –> infection of a DEEP WOUND (with lots of deep tissue around = anoxic environment)
  • causes gas gangrene!
  • bc does lots of fermentation = produce lots of fas = makes air bubbles
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11
Q

what is another type of extracellular enzymes (aside from lecithinase) that can cause lysis of red blood cells?
- some are _______ and some are __________

A

HEMOLYSINS!
- some are enzymes (lecithinase, phospholipase)
- some are CYTOLYSIN (pore-forming) –> attach to cholesterol (animal cells) so that toxin makes tole in eukaryotic cells (not bacteria cells)
- produced by great variety of bacteria
- cause lysis of RBC and a variety of cell types

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12
Q

INVASINS
- _______ or ______ proteins that allow microorgs to do ____A_____
- major virulence factor of __________ pathogens
- what is the purpose of ___A______
- examples of 4 bacteria that produce invasins?

A
  • Surface or injected proteins, that allow microorganisms to enter cells (invade host cell) (attach to cell and triggers its own phagocytosis)
  • Major virulence factor of INTRACELLULAR pathogens.
  • Invasion of host cells, including phagocytes, PROTECTS the bacterial pathogens against the host immune system + good source of nutrients.
  • Mycobacterium, Salmonella, Listeria, Chlamydia
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13
Q

what properties/behavior of host cell need to be modified for pathogens to grow inside host cells? (4)

  • these changes can be accomplished bc of what?
A
  • Block phagosome maturation (block digestion)
  • Increase size of the vacuole (what is being phagocytosed is stored in vacuoles)
  • Acquire nutrients
  • Block detection of intracellular infection and response (host defense) –> so host cell with pathogen won’t get detect by normal immune system
  • of type 3 and type 4 secretion systems!
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14
Q

type 3 and type 4 secretion systems
- large number of gram positive/negative use T3SS or T4SS
- explain what they do and how?
- functions (3)
- also called what?

A
  • gram-negative!!
  • T3SS forms a channel through the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, the periplasm, the outer membrane, and the host cell membrane so bacterial proteins can be INJECTED into the host cell cytosol.
    *transport toxins across membrane = takes control of cell
  • T4SS: similar to T3SS but absence of needle-like structure –> acts like a shot gun: shoots protein across host cell
  • Functions
    1) Invasion of host cells.
    2) Block phagosome maturation.
    3) Take control of host cells.
  • Also called “injectisomes”
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15
Q

TOXIGENICITY
- what are toxins?
- is toxin production always necessary for organism to be highly virulent? explain

  • bacterial pathogens associated with which 2 distinct categories of diseases
  • toxins are divided into which 2 categories. give examples
A

*Many pathogens are able to produce toxins that cause damage to the cells
- TOXIN = Extracellular enzymes that cause damage
- NOT always necessary for an organism to be highly virulent –> Damage can be caused by the host’s own immune system or be a result of the large number of pathogens present
* ie chlamydia: no toxins: just infection process that kills your cells

a) Infectious diseases (e.g. pneumonia, meningitis, syphilis): result from the pathogen’s growth –> ie toxin grown inside your body!
b) Intoxications (e.g. food poisoning): result from the presence of a specific toxin –> ie consume bacteria AND toxin –> bacteria doesn’t infect you

EXOTOXINS:
- (exo = external): secreted into the surrounding as the bacterial pathogen grows –> secreted out of bacteria
ENDOTOXINS:
- (endo = internal): part of the bacterial pathogen
*ie LPS! toxic for animals! responsible for most symptoms of gram negative bacteria

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16
Q

EXOTOXINS
- describe 6 characteristics of exotoxins
- characterized by WHAT?
- 2 types/examples ish

A
  • soluble
  • secreted or released when organism is lysed (some pathogens are tricky: only release toxin when host kills them)
  • usually proteins
  • usually heat-labile (destroyed by heat)
  • extremely potent –> amongst most lethal substances known to mankind (500g of botox (toxin by clostridium botulinum) can kill entire human population)
  • highly immunogenic (trigger immune response) –> antibody response inactivates exotoxins!
  • by their target tissue! ie neurotoxin (nerve tissue), enterotoxins (GI tract), nephrotoxin (kidney), hepatotoxin (liver), cardiotoxin (heart)
  • extracellular enzymes (ie hyaluronidase, collagenase) and AB toxins
17
Q

AB toxins
- purpose?
- composed of how many and which subunits? describe their roles

A

PURPOSE: Modify host cells

2 subunits
- enzymatic subunit (A) –> responsible for the effect –> modifies a target inside the host cell leading to damage to the host. Ex: ADP ribosyltransferase –> adds ADP-ribose to protein = bad
*can kill or change behaviour
- binding/cell entry subunit (B) –> carries A ish + binds to specific cell receptors providing tissue/cell type specificity.

18
Q

CHOLERA TOXIN:
- what type of toxin?
- describe how the cholera toxin works inside the body (6 steps)
- goal?

A
  • AB toxin! 1 A subunit, 7 B subunits
    1) ingest vibrio cholera via contaminated food and water –> colonise small intestine –> binds to epithelial cells
    2) endocytosis: enters epithelial cell
    3) cleavage and translocation of A subunit: A is released to cytoplasm
    4) A subunit modifies G protein by ADP-ribosylation
    5) G protein is now inhibited –> SO Adenylate cyclase is NOT inhibited anymore so AC can convert ATP to cAMP
    6) increase cAMP leads to efflux of fluid with Cl-, HCO3-, H2O outside of cell into lumen = diarrhea
  • goal: vibriocholera wants to be transmitted –> so needs to get out of your body through diarrhea = change to get transmitted to someone else
19
Q

does cholera toxin -A increase cAMP?

A

no! it inhibits G prot –> and indirectly increases cAMP

20
Q

ENDOTOXINS:
- define
- what are 3 characteristics of endotoxins?
- give example
- important cause of WHAT

  • do endotoxins cause damage per se?
A
  • structural proteins of bacterial pathogens –> ie LPS, peptidoglycan
  • heat stable –> cannot be inactivated (important for vaccines)
  • weakly antigenic: no antibody produced against LPS)
  • very effective activator of immune system –> produce general systemic effects: fever (pyrogenic), shock, weakness, inflammation, diarrhea, SEPTIC SHOCK (bacteria in blood)
  • lipid A of LPS form gram-negative bacterial pathogens! (NOT produced by eukaryotes –> so immune system recognizes it + sets an alarms: theres a gram neg bacteria inside!)
    *released during multiplication or lysis of bacterial cells
  • important cause of symptoms in all gram-negative bacterial infections (ie salmonella, E. coli)
  • nope! but activates immune system and creates damage that can kill you
21
Q

which virulence factors are common/different for salmonella typhimurium vs salmonella typhi?

  • sum of virulence factors determine WHAT? (3)
A

COMMON:
- lipopolysaccharide
- T3SS
- flagellin for movement!
- fimbriae/pili
- salmonella pathogenicity islands (section of chromosome encoding virulence factors)

S. typhi has Vi antigen (aka capsule) –> explains why it can give systemic infection bs has capsule that protects against immune system

  • determines site of infection, length, how serious it is