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BACTERIOLOGY & MYCOLOGY LECTURE > BACILLUS > Flashcards

BACILLUS Flashcards

1
Q

Almost all of Genus Bacillus are non-pathogenic and saprophytic. True or False?

A

True

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2
Q

What is the most pathogenic species of Bacillus?

A

B. anthracis

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3
Q

What is the German name of anthrax?

A

Milzbrand

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4
Q

What is French name of anthrax?

A

Charbon

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5
Q

Carnivores and birds are highly susceptible to B. anthracis while herbivores are resistant, True or False?

A

False, other way around

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6
Q

Is anthrax fatal in humans?

A

Yes

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7
Q

Give the morphology of Bacillus anthracis.

A

Large, Gram (+) rods, 1 um x 3-6 um

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8
Q

What is the form of Bacillus anthracis when in cultures?

A

Forms long chains which appear as solid filaments because of square ends that fit closely together

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9
Q

What is the form of Bacillus anthracis when in tissues?

A

Short chains with ends of cells rounded

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10
Q

What temperature does the spores of Bacillus appear? And in what presence does it occur?

A

15-40 C, in the presence of air

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11
Q

Give the morphology of spores of Bacillus anthracis.

A

Spores central to subterminal and not swollen

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12
Q

Bacillus anthracis doesn’t grow well on most lab media. True or False?

A

False

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13
Q

On what temperature and duration does the spores of B. anthracis germinate?

A

65 C for 15 mins.

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14
Q

What is the appearance of B. anthracis when inoculated on agar?

A

Ground glass-like appearance on surface colonies on agar with irregular margins

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15
Q

Under LPO, what is the appearance of B. anthracis on agar?

A

Resembles locks of wavy hair known as Medusa-head colonies

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16
Q

Biochemically, B. anthracis is much less active than other bacilli. True or False?

A

True

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17
Q

B. anthracis is non-motile. True or False?

A

True

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18
Q

Give the composition of capsule of B. anthracis.

A

Made up of polymers of D-glutamic acid and some polysaccharide

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19
Q

Spores of B. anthracis are killed by either boiling or autoclaving. True or False?

A

False, spores are resistant to boiling; killed only by autoclaving

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20
Q

B. anthracis can be killed by disinfectants. True or False?

A

False, they are resistant and remain viable for more than 50 years

21
Q

The vegetative cells of B. anthracis can be killed at what temperature and what duration?

A

60 C for 30 mins

22
Q

Give the major anthrax enzootic zones. (tropical and subtropical places)

A
  1. India
  2. Pakistan
  3. Africa
  4. South America
23
Q

Give the pathogenesis factors on why tropics and subtropics country are considered the habitat of B. anthracis.

A
  1. Alkaline soil with high nitrogen level caused by decaying vegetation
  2. Alternating period of rain and drought
  3. Temperatures beyond 5.5 C
24
Q

Give the source of infection of anthrax.

A
  1. Soil
  2. Bone meal
  3. Vegetable protein
  4. Tannery effluents
  5. Bloodsucking flies and carrion eaters
25
Q

What is the threshold for the death of animal infected with anthrax?

A

If splenic clearance exceeded, animal dies -> 80% of organisms in
blood, 20% in spleen

26
Q

What is the name of the toxin complex of B. anthracis?

A

Holotoxin

27
Q

Give the three components of holotoxin of B. anthracis.

A
  1. Edema factor (EF)
  2. Protective antigen (PA)
  3. Lethal factor (LF)
28
Q

Give the principle and mode of action of Edema factor (EF) of holotoxin of B. anthracis.

A

Edema factor acts as adenylate cyclase which increases intracellular cyclic AMP

29
Q

Give the principle and mode of action of protective antigen (PA) of holotoxin of B. anthracis.

A

Plasma-encoded, necessary for biological activity of EF and LF; probably a receptor-binding molecule

30
Q

Give the 4 net effects of holotoxin.

A
  1. Damage and kill phagocytes
  2. Increased capillary cell permeability
  3. Damage clotting mechanism
  4. Inhibit bactericidal activity of serum
31
Q

Give the sequential events when anthrax induce capillary thrombosis.

A

Capillary thrombosis -> fluid leaks thru damaged endothelium -> blood
pressure falls -> shock

32
Q

One effect of holotoxin is that it blocks opsonizing activity of specific factor of complement mechanism. Give the factor and effect when it is blocked.

A

C3 factor; reduced phagocytosis

33
Q

Give some of the symptoms of anthrax.

A
  1. Edema
  2. Shock
  3. Hemorrhaging before death (peracute form 1-2 hours, acute form less than 24 hours)
34
Q

What is the portal of entry when a localized anthrax is present?

A

Thru wound on skin; cutaneous form; malignant carbuncle or pustule

35
Q

Localized anthrax is more often in animals than in humans. True or False?

A

False, other way around

36
Q

Localized anthrax can turn into a generalized form. True or False?

A

True

37
Q

Give the sequential events when localized form of anthrax with pharyngeal involvement and gastroentiritis occured in swine and dogs.

A

Localized form with pharyngeal involvement and gastroenteritis -> inflammatory edema of head and neck -> suffocation

38
Q

What is the portal entry when generalized anthrax is present?

A

Airborne spores; pulmonary or inhalation
anthrax (Woolsorter’s disease)

39
Q

One diagnosis of B. anthracis infection is to release minimum number of anthrax organisms in the environment. True or False?

A

True, e.g. blood samples from ear veins

40
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Give the principle of Mc Fadyean’s stain.

A

Organisms blue, capsules pink

41
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Give the principle of AGPT (Agar gel precipitation test)/Ascoli Test

A

Detection of capsular antigen

42
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Give the principle of blood agar plate inoculation.

A

Ground glass-like non-hemolytic colonies on BAP -> Medusa-head or
judge’s wig-type colonies

43
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Give the principle of String of pearl test.

A

In presence of penicillin, organisms grow with cell
wall impairment -> organisms resemble string of pearls

44
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Give the principle of Bacteriophage (gamma phage).

A

Only B. anthracis is lysed

45
Q

Diagnosis of B. anthracis: Animal test is pathogenic to what animal? And how many hours does it take for animals to die?

A

Guinea pigs, mice; death within 24 hrs

46
Q

Recovered animals from B. anthracis infection have permanent immunity. True or False?

A

True

47
Q

What are the forms of immunization against B. anthracis?

A
  1. Sternes’ live (non-capsulated)
  2. Avirulent spore vaccine or culture filtrate of avirulent (non-capsulated strain)
48
Q

Give ways on how to prevent and control B. anthracis.

A
  1. Reportable disease
  2. Should be treated, uninfected animals immunized

BACTERIOLOGY & MYCOLOGY LECTURE (10 decks)

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