Bacillus anthrax

Question 1

Microbiology?

Answer 1

Gram + facultative anaerobe; SPORE FORMING rod

Question 2

Presentation?

Answer 2

Swelling, sepsis, necrosis. Flu like symptoms in a mailroom worker or cattle/goat farmer.

Question 3

Describe phase 1 and 2 of this bug

Answer 3

Phase 1: flu like symptoms with SOB & chest pain

Phase 2: hemorrhagic mediastinitis with pleural effusion. MEDIASTINAL WIDENING!!

Question 4

Virulence factor?

Answer 4

Anti-phagocytic non-antigenic capsule with poly-D glutamic acid (only bacterium with the poly-d)

Question 5

Describe the AB toxin

Answer 5

B= binding
A= active
A is broken down into edema factor (EF)- increase in cAMP and lethal factor (LF)- metalloprotease inhibits MAP kinases stopping cell signaling

Question 6

Anthrax can infect the skin. What does that look like?

Answer 6

Looks freakin terrible. Black ulcers on ur skin- ESCHAR. Nasty but painless

Question 7

Diagnosis?

Answer 7

Immunoflourescent Ab stain of CSF. Blood smear of BOX CARS

Question 8

Treatment?

Answer 8

Incubation can be 6 weeks. So treat with 40 days ciprofloxacin/doxy IV prophylaxis + 1 other (ampicillin)