Arthropod Vectors Flashcards
This disease is transmitted through deer ticks. It is characterized by a Bullseye rash, and it can sometimes lead to Bell’s Palsy, which is a type of facial nerve dysfunction. (Answer)
Which organism causes this disease? (Answer)
Lyme Disease
Organism: Borrelia Burgdorferi
This gram negative bacteria is found in Cotton Tail Rabbits, and it is transmitted when aerosols of the bacteria are inhaled by brush cutting or mowing around dead animals. Leads to fever, dry cough, severe headache, and swollen lymph nodes (buboes).
Tularemia
[Rabbit Fever, Lawnmower Disease]
This disease has a higher incidence in taxidermists and hunters who work around dead animal carcasses like road kill. (Answer)
How is this disease best prevented? (Answer)
Tularemia
Prevention: Wear masks and gloves if working/skinning/mowing around dead animals.
This gram negative bacteria is transmitted via rodents, and it causes a disease commonly known as The Plague.
Yersinia pestis
This basic version of the plague is characterized by sudden onset of fever, and buboes (swollen lymph nodes in groin or armpit):
Bubonic Plague
This version of the plague occurs when the bacteria escapes from a swollen lymph node and moves into the blood stream. It results in both massive bleeding and massive blood clotting, a condition known as DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy).
Septicemic Plague
If the Yersinia Pestis bacteria (plague) travels to the lungs, it becomes a respiratory disease that is communicable via droplets. What is this version of the plague called?
Pneumonic Plague
If PNEUMONIC plague reaches the lungs from the person inhaling respiratory droplets from another person, it is called (primary or secondary) pneumonic plague?
Primary
If PNEUMONIC plague reaches the lungs because the bacteria escaped from an infected swollen lymph node, entered the blood stream, and spread up to the respiratory system, this is called (primary or secondary) pneumonic plague?
Secondary
This organism is transmitted via fleas, and it causes a rash that begins at the trunk and progresses to the extremities, often including the palms and soles. (Answer)
What is the disease that is caused by this organism? (Answer)
Rickettsia typhi
Disease: Endemic Murine Typhus
This organism is transmitted via lice. It is characterized by a rash that begins on the trunk and spreads eventually to the extremities, but it rarely affects the palms or soles: (Answer)
The disease that this bacteria manifests is: (Answer)
Rickettsia prowazekii
Disease: Classic (or Louse-borne) Endemic Typhus
This organism is transmitted via dog ticks. It is characterized by a rash with small red spots that BEGINS on the palms and soles, and progresses toward the trunk.
Rickettsia rickettsii
Disease: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
This organism is transmitted via mites on house mice, and it is characterized by black “eschar” crusty scabs. (Answer)
What disease is caused by this organism? (Answer)
Rickettsia akari
Disease: Rickettsial Pox
This viral disease is transmitted via mosquitoes.
It is characterized by symptoms of jaundice (yellow skin), and severe liver damage. (Answer)
What pathogen causes this disease? (Answer)
Yellow Fever
Pathogen: Yellow fever virus
Name 4 organisms that cause Equine encephalitis:
1.) EEEV (eastern virus),
2.) WEEV (western virus)
3.) VEEV (Venezuelan virus)
4.) SLEV (St. Louis Virus)
This equine encephalitis virus causes necrotizing of the brain and is the most deadly in humans?
EEEV (Eastern virus)
This equine encephalitis virus has epidemics that occur about every 10 years in late summer, and it is especially deadly in the elderly:
SLEV (St. Louis Virus)
The disease West Nile Encephalitis is caused by which pathogen?
West Nile virus
This virus is transmitted to humans via mosquitoes. It is not communicable between people though so it is considered a “dead end” virus. The first case occurred as recent as 1999.
West Nile Virus
This viral disease is transmitted by mosquitos. Symptoms are usually mild or none at all, however, when it does get severe, patients can experience stupor, convulsions, paralysis, coma, and even death.
West Nile Encephalitis
A small number of people getting the Zika virus report getting this incurable syndrome that affects the nervous system?
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Globally, this is the most common arthropod borne disease:
Dengue [Break Bone] Fever
This disease is transmitted via mosquitos. Key Symptoms include severe joint pain, bleeding gums, and small red spots (petechia) that appear on the legs and chest. (Answer)
Which pathogen causes this disease? (Answer)
Dengue [Break Bone] Fever
Pathogen: Dengue virus
When dengue fever causes very severe vomiting with bleeding gums, almost resembling the Ebola virus, this is called:
Dengue Shock Syndrome [Dengue hemorrhagic fever]
The bacteria that causes tularemia [Rabbit Fever] is:
Organism: Francisella tularensis
[Tularemia is also known as lawn mower’s disease]
This antibiotic is used to treat both Endemic (Louse-borne) Typhus and Endemic murine typhus is:
Doxycycline
This disease mainly affects people traveling to South America. It causes a rash, and can also cause microcephaly (small head) in infants.
Zika
Zika is caused by which pathogen?
Zika is transmitted via:
Pathogen: Zika virus
Transmission: mosquitos
There are 4 strains of the dengue virus. Each infection of Dengue Fever confers permanent immunity, but only to THAT strain, therefore a person can be infected with dengue fever up to (how many?) times.
Four times
[One for each strain]
This vaccine provides protection against the Dengue virus. Mainly given to individuals in those areas of the world where the virus is more common.
Denvaxia
