Bacillus Spp.

Question 1

What is the O2 requirement for Bacillus?

Answer 1

Aerobic OR Facultative Anaeobes

Question 2

Where is Bacillus typically found?

Answer 2

Ubiquitous in nature; forms Endospores

Question 3

T/F: most Bacillus spp. are soil saprophytes

Answer 3

TRUE

Question 4

What spp. of bacillus is an obligate mammalian pathogen?

Answer 4

Bacillus anthracis

Question 5

What is the source of infection for herbivores?

Answer 5

Soil contaminated with spores

Question 6

Microscopically, B, anthracis are seen as ________?

Answer 6

Large, square-end, rods

Medusa head colonies

Question 7

Virulence factors of B. Anthracis are (2)?

Answer 7

Cell associated and Extracellular

Question 8

What is the cell associated virulence factor of B. Anthracis?

Answer 8

A Capsule : polymers of D glutamic acid

Question 9

What is the extracellular virulence factor?

Answer 9

Anthrax Toxin (tripartite toxin) - 3 proteins working together to form toxin

Question 10

If only capsule present, is B. anthracis virulent?

Answer 10

NO - must have both capsule and anthrax toxin to be virulent

Question 11

Both virulence factors are encoded by ______________

Answer 11

Plasmids

Question 12

Bacillus anthracis capsule is produced in vivo OR in vitro?

Answer 12

In vivo

Question 13

The B. anthracis capsule is made of polymers of ______________

Answer 13

D-glutamic acid

Question 14

The capsule allows B. anthracis to survive in the host because it is ___________

Answer 14

Anti-phagocytic

Question 15

Bacillus anthracis can be stained using _______

Answer 15

McFadyean Reaction on stain with polychromatic methylene blue

Question 16

Anthrax toxin is otherwise known as:

Answer 16

Tripartite Toxin

Question 17

Three factors make up Tripartite (Anthrax) toxin:

Answer 17

1. Edema Factor
2. Lethal Factor
3. Protective antigen

Question 18

The combination of the 3 proteins results in:

Answer 18

Increased vascular permeability and cell necrosis

Question 19

Function of Edema Factor?

Answer 19

• Inhibit neutrophil function

- calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase

Question 20

Function of Lethal Factor?

Answer 20

Cell death, hypoxia-induced tissue injury/shock

-zinc mealloprotease

Question 21

Protective antigen function?

Answer 21

Prevent entry of toxin into the cell - cell binding factor

-translocation into cell

Question 22

To produce a vaccine you must have______

Answer 22

Toxin Plasmid (don’t need the capsule)

Question 23

Strains of anthracis that are encapsulated and toxigenic are considered?

Answer 23

Virulent

Question 24

Increase expose assoc. with 5 factors:

Answer 24

• history of previous anthrax deaths
• flooding: spores to surface
• soil conditions: alkaline, rich in Calcium and nitrogen favor endospore survival
• warm temps
• drought brings closer to ground to increasing changes of soil ingestion and mechanical injury to GI mucosa

Question 25

The most common way to develop disease assoc. with Bacillus is?

Answer 25

Exposure to endospores

Question 26

Endospores germinate within the _____________ of macrophages

Answer 26

Phagolysosomes

Question 27

Complete anthrax toxin causes ___________ and affects _______________

Answer 27

Cell death and vascular permeability

Question 28

What is the most susceptible species?

Answer 28

CATTLE

Question 29

"Anthrax" is associated with what condition?

Answer 29

Septicemia

Question 30

Pulmonary Anthrax - species and disease?

Answer 30

Human - Wool Sorters Disease

Question 31

Acute Septicemia

Answer 31

Horse - colic and diarrhea

Question 32

Per acute septicemia

Answer 32

Ruminants (Cattle*, sheep): - AM - bleeding from orifices - PM - Hemorrhagic Exudate - PM - Splenomegaly

Question 33

Pharyngeal

Answer 33

Pigs / Dogs - Asphyxia

Question 34

Intestinal

Answer 34

Human / Pig / Horse

Question 35

Cutaneous

Answer 35

Human - Malignant Carbuncle

Question 36

How long can B. anthracis spores persist in the ground?

Answer 36

DECADES - Thus is REPORTABLE

Question 37

Will you conduct a field necropsy for B. anthracis?

Answer 37

NO! Call the state/federal officials

Question 38

Staining using McFadyean's methylene blue will stain B. anthracis ___________

Answer 38

With a pink capsule

Question 39

In order to diagnose B. anthracis, you use what kind of culture and diagnostic method?

Answer 39

Aerobic culture of blood and PCR

Question 40

What level BSL is B. anthracis?

Answer 40

BSL-3

Question 41

T/F: B.anthracis is zoonotic and reportable

Answer 41

TRUE: it is reportable within 9 days

Question 42

What are the zoonotic diseases associated with B. anthracis?

Answer 42

Cutaneous = Malignant Carbuncle Pulmonary = Wool Sorter's Disease (aerogenous) Intestinal and Oropharyngeal

Question 43

Anthrax is typically ___________ and lethal

Answer 43

airborne

Question 44

Treatment of B. anthracis (4)

Answer 44

Penicillin Tetracycline Doxycycline Ciprofloxacin

Question 45

What is the optimal means of disposal of animals infected with B. anthracis?

Answer 45

Incineration

Question 46

Differential Diagnosis:

Answer 46

Blackleg - Clostridium chavuoei | Botulism - Clostridium botulinum