Bacteria Flashcards
Staph aureus
The Golden Staff of Moses
Staphlococcus (grape granule = bundle of grapes) aureus (golden colonies)
Gram positive (violet robe of Moses)
Catalase positive (Egyptian cat)
Coagulase positive (Moses is coagulating sea)
Beta Hemolytic (Moses’ globe)
Ferments mannitol (tall man behind moses
Protein A (A on moses staph) - binds Fc and prevents complement binding
Colonizes Nose (Sphinx nose)
Pneumonia esp post viral infx (coughing man and camel w/ patchy quilt carrying icosahedral ornaments)
MCC of Septic arthritis (camel and man on knees)
Abscesses and skin infections (camel’ red humps)
Rapid onset endocarditis in IV drug users. MC in Tricuspid valve (lady clutching chest on running camel w/ mortar in pestle)
MCC Osteomyelitis (smelly fish bones)
Scalded skin syndrome mediated by exfoiliative toxin ( guy w/ severe sunburn)
Toxic shock syndrome mediated by TSS supertoxin overactivating T cells = cytokine storm esp. post packing being left in (i.e. tampon or gauze) (superantigen w/ lightning bolt)
Rapid onset food poisoning (woman on running camel w/ meats and mayo)
MRSA via altered penicillin binding proteins (nubins building pyramids)
Rx: Vancomycin (caravan) or if MSSA Nafcillin/Diclocicillin (Naf for staph = pencil as staph)
Staph Epidermidis
Beauty and the Plumber (esp. plumber)
Gram positive
Enemy of orthopedics (plumber’s pipes)
Infx of catheters (lines under sink)
MCC of endocarditis in artificial heart valves (valves under sink)
Biofilms (gunk under sink coating pipes, tubes, and valves)
Rx: Vancomycin (Van)
Must replace infected joints
MCC blood culture contaminant (dirty plumber hands w/ red dish)
Novobiocin sensitive (Navel is sensitive)
Catalase positive (cat)
Urease positive (ammonia bottle)
Coagulase negative (moses’s uncoagulated gell-o)
Staph Saphrophyticus
Beauty and the Plumber (spec. young lady on counter)
UTI in sexually active females (sexy girl twirling her hair holding UTI yellow drink w/ ureter straws)
Catalase positive (cat)
Urease positive (ammonia bottle)
Coagulase negative (moses’s uncoagulated gell-o)
Strep pyogenes
The Pie Genies’ Bakery
AKA Group A strep
Hyaluronic Acid Capsule (glass capsule covering Hot Apple pie) same as HA in our connective tissue –> capsule can’t be immunogenic
Beta Hemolytic (Heating light bulb)
Impetigo skin infection (honey crusted pie) also caused by Sa
Pharyngitis (red bow tie) think large inflamed
Cellulitis and erysipelas (red mittens)
Strep pyogenic exotxin (SPE mediated diseases:
Scarlet fever - strawberry tongue, pharyngitis, and widespread rash that spares face (tongue at strawberry; red bow tie; gingerbread man w/ red frosting not on face)
Toxic shock like syndrome (super cape w/ lightning bolt)
Necrotizing fasciitis (burnt gingebread man w/ leg broken off)
SPE A - Superantigen (TSLS)
SPE B - Nec fasc (gingebread man is Burnt)
SPE C - (TSLS)
Rheumatic fever caused by M protein (Master chef) which interferes w/ opsonization and phagocytosis (Master chef prevents others from snitching cupcakes).
M protein mimics the myosin in our heart causing autoimmune attack of our mitral valve (miter hat) causing mitral stenosis after pharyngitis
JONES Criteria for Rheumatic Fever (cupcakes)
J- Joints - polyarthritis (frosting on elbow
O - Heart shape (valve problems, myo and pericarditis)
N - Nodules on extensor surface of forearms knees and elbows (candy on cupcakes
E - Erythema marginatum - rash w/ thick red borders (red cupcake)
S - Sydenham’s chorea (rapid movements of hands and face)
Post Strep Glomerulonephritis (telephone) - Type III HS w/ facial puffiness and cola colored urine (chef’s puffy cheeks and bottle of cola) two weeks after infx pharyngitis or impetigo (calendar)
Rx: penicillin prevents RF not glomerulonephritis (chef on phone holding pencil)
Virulence factors:
Streptolysin O lyses RBCs (jelly filled doughnuts) - ASO antibody titers (lady w/ tongs and doughnuts)
Streptokinase (muffins w/ p’s) - clot lysis
DNAse (baked twists) - depolymerize DNA
Bacitracin sensitive (Basset hound eating twists
Strep Agalactiae
Galactic baby
Group B strep
Serious infections in newborns (baby)
Postivie hippurate test (hippo stuffed animal)
Capsule (helmet around hippo)
CAMP test positive (Space camp) = increasing hemolysis when plated w/ SA (golden rod of tent)
Beta hemolytic (beta hemolysis lighbulb on tents)
Bacitracin resistant (bassethound w/ helmet resisting licking baby)
MCC of meningitis in neonates (space helmet on baby)
Sepsis in neonates (red clothes on baby
Pneumonia (baby is coughing)
Infection from vaginal canal (mothership w/ portal)
Mother screened at 35weeks (35wk mothership)
Give mom w/ intrapartum penicillin (pencil landing legs on mothership)
Strep Pneumoniae
The Alpha Knight Tournament
(#1 Alpha Knight)
Encapsulated (Knight’s armor)
Optochin sensitive (exposed chin)
Lancet shaped diplocci (two lances)
Bile soluble (mud on horses legs)
MCC of CA pneumonia - esp. lobar pneumonia w/ rust colored sputum (rust spot on knights chest)
MCC (#1 fan) of MOPS (squire w/ mop) M - Meningitis O - Otitis media P - Pneumonia S - Sinusitis
IgA Protease (Cracked shield w/ IgA dimer on it)
Asplenics susceptible (Sickle on #1 knight)
Rx: Macrolides (crows watching events) or Ceftriaxone (Tri-axe flag)
Prevent w/ vaccines:
Adults = 23 valent unconjugated (IgM only) (adults on Mezzanine)
Kids = 7 valent conjugated to protein (IgG) (kids on Ground)
Strep Viridans
The Alpha Knight Tournament (Jester)
Alpha hemolytic (green alpha tournament)
No capsule (unarmored jester)
Optochin resistant (jester mask over chin)
Bile resistant (boots on donkey)
Common cause of dental carries (gross teeth of jester) and endocarditis of damaged valves esp. Mitral (damaged miter hat)
Dextran (deck of cards) which sticks to platelets (plate as shield)
Enterococcus
Protest at the Caucus
Entero (GI) Coccus (cocci is key differentiate between enterobacter which is gram negative rod)
E Faecalis is most common (many peopl at California caucus)
E Faesium is more rare, but often a super bug (Stop the Fees protester = one guy, but a super protester)
Resistant in 6.5% NaCl (Resist the 6.5% Northern California)
Bile Resistant (Protester is resistant to billy-club and wearing bile resistant boots)
Causes UTIs, endocarditis, biliary (bile soluble) tree infections (Do U heart trees sign)
VRE (Stop the fees protester resiting vanco van) must be treated by Linezolid (police tape making line or tigecycline (tigerstriped police line)
Bacillus anthracus
King Anthra’s Axe
Forms Black Eschar (ring of fire)
ID w/ Large gram positive rods in chains (boats in background)
Poly D Glutamine protein capsule (buckles w/ D’s on leather armor)
Obligate aerobe (Air Bellow)
Spore former that is highly resistant to temp and chemicals (walnuts over fire)
Lethal Factor (LF) toxin (shield w/ LF) cleaves MAP kinase and causes tissue necrosis (burning of map looking like eschar)
Edema Factor (EF) toxin (EF shield) - increases cAMP (tents) and causes edema
Pulmonary anthrax aka wool sorter’s disease (sheep and wool on armor) dry cough –> hemorrhagic mediastinitis w/ 100% mortality (bloody axe which is scary). Widened mediastinum on CXR (rope around mast on ship)
Rx: Fluoroqunolones (flower on ship) or doxycycline (bicycle wheel on ship)
Bacillus cereus
King Anthra’s Axe
Poly D Glutamine protein capsule (buckles w/ D’s on leather armor)
ObligateAerobic (Bellows)
Spore former that is highly resistant to temp and chemicals (walnuts over fire)
Food poisoninig esp. w/ vomitting and diarrhea after eating fried rice (viking puking and reheating rice
Clostridium tetani
Rhesus Research Revolution
Gram positive
Obligate anaerobes (gas mask)
Spore former (walnuts)
Puncture wounds (rusty nails and barb wire)
Risus sardonicus - evil smile from intense contractions. Also lock jaw. (Rhesus monkey smiling)
opisthotonos - characteristic exaggerated arching of back (monkey arching back)
Tetanus toxin aka tetanospasmin - travels retrograde through motor neurons to spinal cord (scissors on pulley)
Toxin is protease of SNARE protein. Inhibits GABA and Glycine (G&G labs) inhibitory motor neurons aka Renshaw cells (Monkey w/ Wrench and Saw)
Toxoid vaccine -toxin conjugated to protein (orange injection)
Costridium botulinum
Robotulism
Gram positive
Transmitted by improper canning of food (torso of can robots) and eating of preformed toxin, not spores in adults
Multiple family members w/ neuro sx
Spore former (mechanical nuts)
Obligate anaerobe (gas mask)
Flaccid descending paralysis (limp robots)
Diploplia or ptosis often first sign (droopy eyes of robot)
Only affects PNS (can’t cross BBB)
Toxin cleaves SNARE protein of motor neurons of Ach causing flaccid paralysis (Electrical Ach generator)
Floppy baby syndrome (flaccid baby) - babies lack robust flora –> ingested spores germinate and produce toxin –> commonly found in honey! (honey poring on floppy baby and mechanical nuts)
Clostridium dificile
Field Trip to the Chocolate Factory
Spore former (walnuts)
Anaerobes (gas masks of workers)
Gram positive
Nosocomial diarrhea
Clindamycin and poor hand washing are large risk (Clean sign)
Exotoxin A (Apple work station) - binds to brush border (brushing of apples) causing profuse watery diarrhea (chocolate)
Exotoxin B (Black licorice work station) destructs cell membrane via actin(black licorice structure) depolymerization (chewed by kid) causing pseudomembranous (yellowish plastic coating) colitis.
Dx by pseudomembranous visualization or toxin PCR toxin in stool (shoe in chocolate)
Rx: ORAL vancomycin w/ (vanco van w/ tongue loading ramp), or Metronidozole (metro train)
Clostridium perfingens
Private Ringen’s Motorcycle Accident
Gram positive rod
Motorcycle accidents and military wounds (GI fell off motorcycle)
Spore former (walnuts) found in spoil (pots of soil)
Obligate anaerobe (gas masks)
Gas gangrene aka clostridial myonecrosis presents as crepitus
Necrosis formed by alpha toxin which cleaves lecithin and damages cell membranes (Alpha signs on clothes line)
Hemolysis both in vivo and double zone in vitro (double fine zone)
Rx: IV Penicillin G (pencil)
Food poisonining causing SLOW onset (slow sign) diarrhea from spore ingestion.
Corynbacter diptheria
Corazon de la Corrida (bullfight)
Gram positive rod
Club shape in Y or V formation w/ metachromatic granules (red and blue morracas)
Acitve (A) subunit - causes ADP ribosylation of elongation factor 2 inhibiting protein synthesis (Man playing accordian wearing bow tie)
Binding (B) subunit - binding only
Gray pseudomembranes in orohparyns (cotton candy wrapped in plastic)
Transmitted by respiratory droplets which can cause
B severe lymphadenopathy and pharyngitis w/ thickening of neck (Bull’s neck)
Myocarditis w/ arrhythmias (heart shaped flag)
Neurotoxin can damage myelin (man eating sausages) causes nerve deficits starting in oropharynx
Definitive dx by growing bacteria on potassium tellulurite (jumbotron) or loeffler’s (kid laughing) medium.
Elek’s test for toxin (Bull’s tongue licking)
Toxoid vaccine DTAP producing powerful IgG response (green syringes in bull)
Rx: Antitoxin
Listeria monocytogenes
Santa’s List
Gram positive rod (purple ornaments)
Beta-hemolytic (light bulb atop tree)
Tumbling motility (tumbling ornaments)
Actin rockets when intracellular (rocket presents and in santa
Facultative intracellular
Catalase positive (cat)
Survive near freezing (icicles)
Unpasturized milk, soft cheeses, and packaged meat even if refrigerated (milk and cheese left for Santa)
Pregnant women (pregnant women) 20x more likely to be infected. Can cause abortion or newborn meningitis (baby w/ helmet)
Common cause of elderly meningitis (Santa is old)
Rx: Ampicillin (guitar amp gift)
Actinomyces israelii
Israeli Soldier
Gram positive filamentous or branching rod
Obligate anaerobe = ddx vs norcardia (gas mask)
Normal flora of oral cavity - think jaw trauma or dental work causing cervicofacial actinomycsosis (violet jaw wrap)
Draining sinus tracts (canal) w/ yellow sulfur granules (yellow granular rocks)
Rx: Penicillin G (pencil in soldier’s hand) +/- surgical drainage
Nocardia asteroides
No Card Game for Old Men
Gram positive filamentous branching rod (picture above bar w/ tree branching)
Obligate aerobe (air bellow)
Found in soil (cactus pot)
Does NOT form spores
Lightly acid fast/carbofuschin (cowboy, but he missed once) stains mycolic acids (tassels on cowboy) in cell wall
Catalase positive (catalase positive cat w/ bartender) important for patients w/ chronic granulomatous disease
Urease positive (NH3 spray bottle)
Immunocompromised patients i.e. HIV/transplants/steroid rx (cane)
Men > women (no card game for old MEN)
Pulmonary nocardiosis = pneumonia w/ cavitation (shot in star) and abscess formation (coughing cowboy).
Brain abscesses (bullet penetrating hat)
Cutaneous nocardiosis w/ gardening/car accidents etc. w/ indurated inflammatory lesions (cow print chaps w/ red outline)
Rx: Sulfonamides (rotten eggs)
Neisseria species overview
Noir series
Shared features between meningitis and gonorrhea
Gram negative diplococci (red hand cuffs)
Oxidase postive (blue ring)
Grows on chocolate agar (eating chocolate bar)
Grows on VPN agar (Vice city Private Nvestigator) Vancomycin, Polymixin, Nystatin aka Thayer Martin agar (star of show)
Increased susceptibility in patients who are complement deficient esp. C5-C9 (MAC the private eye from 5pm to 9pm)
Virulence factors -
Pilus attachment w/ frequent antigenic variation (pocket watch chains)
IgA protease for mucosal survival (Ace in MAC’s hat)
Neisseria Meningitidis
A shocking death on campus
Meningitis spread by respiratory droplets esp. on college campuses.
Common features -see other card (MAC at bar)
Frements maltose (MAC inspecting Malt liquor)
Colonizes nasopharynx (long swab)
Polysaccharide capsule which inhibits phagocytosis (glass capsules)
Vaccine for all but B (think Aho’s research)
Sickle cell and asplenics are susceptible (USSR flag)
Massive inflammatory response from Lipooligosaccharides (LOS) when spreading hematogenously. Blebs fall off (envelopes that are on fire)
Extravasation of fluid and hypovolemia (sprinklers). Can lead to shock (electrical outlet when wet)
Petichial rash is key indicator of thrombocytopenia –> DIC. (wet spots on floor and spots on boxers)
Adrenal insuffiency secondary to shock and massive vasoconstriction. This causes worse shock. aka Waterhouse-Fridericson syndrome (water tower)
Mortality rate w/ abx is 15%
Early rx w/ Ceftriaxone is key (firefighter w/ three axes)
Rifampin to close contacts for ppx. (policeman at door stopping friends)
Neisseria Gonorrhea
The Violinist’s Last Clap
Common features (MAC at bar)
STI (flirting w/ gal at bar)
Facultative intraceulluar of PMNs (trendy chairs white chairs red pillows inside)
Not encapsulated (broken glass on ground)
Urethritis in men that can cause prostatits and orchitis
Can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in women –> scarring –> infertility/ectopic pregnancies (chandalier w/ candles that looks like uterus)
White purulent discharge (white wax). Thicker than chlymidia.
Can spread into peritoneum causing adhesions to liver aka Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. String adhesions to liver are called vioin string adhesions (violinist on ground)
Polyarthritis esp. unilateral knee (Crack in statue’s knee) –> no gram stain due to intracellular org.
Purulent conjunctivitis in newborns w/in first five days. (mother shielding baby’s eyes quickly) Chlymidia is more delayed.
Rx: Ceftriaxone (three axes on statue and signs) and macrolide/doxy to cover for chlymidial coinfection (clam shaped napkins on table)
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Enterodactyl, Triserratiatops, and the Kleb-Tailed Dinosaur
Often nosocomial (hospital room) so think MDR (pills on ground)
Pneumonia (oxygen mask)
UTI (catheter)
Rx: Carbapenem
Ferment lactose (milk carton) and form pink colonies on McKonkey agar (pink milk carton)
Immotile (ankylosaurus stuck to table)
Three A’s (three A’s on club tail) :Alcoholics
Abscesses
Aspiration
Currant jelly sputum (jelly spilled by ankylosporis)
Polysaccharide capsule (scales on back of ankylosporis)
Cavitary lesion former (CXR on wall) must ddx vs TB
Urease positive (bottle of NH3)
Enterobacter cloacae
Enterodactyl, Triserratiatops, and the Kleb-Tailed Dinosaur
Often nosocomial (hospital room) so think MDR (pills on ground)
Pneumonia (oxygen mask)
UTI (catheter)
Rx: Carbapenem
Ferment lactose (milk carton) and form pink colonies on McKonkey agar (pink milk carton)
Highly motile (pterodactyl is flying)
Serratia marcescens
Enterodactyl, Triserratiatops, and the Kleb-Tailed Dinosaur
Often nosocomial (hospital room) so think MDR (pills on ground)
Pneumonia (oxygen mask)
UTI (catheter)
Rx: Carbapenem
Ferment lactose (milk carton) and form pink colonies on McKonkey agar (pink milk carton)
Motile (charging triceratops)
Pink when cultured (red triceratops or pink around shower)
Salmonella typhi
1 cause of osteomyeletis in patient w/ sickle cell (head of fish and sickle in gull’s hand)
The Salmon Dinner (gull)
Motile (floppy tail of salmon)
H2S positive and grows black colonies on Hektoen agar (black plate)
Encapsulated (glass dome over salmon)
Acid labile (lemon) and easily degraded in stomach thus needed large dose for infection and increased risk if on ppi or have pernicious anemia
Chronic carries harbored in gall bladder (gull)
Typhoid Mary (apron)
Rose colored macules (polka dotted apron)
Pea-soup diarrhea (bird dropping)
Rx: floroquinolones (flower)
Vaccine (syringe)
Facultated intracellular - Invades lymphatics in colon and taken into macrophages (bird cages)
Salmonella enteritidis
The Salmon Dinner (chicken esp.)
Motile (floppy tail of salmon)
H2S positive and grows black colonies on Hektoen agar (black plate)
Encapsulated (glass dome over salmon)
Acid labile (lemon) and easily degraded in stomach thus needed large dose for infection and increased risk if on ppi or have pernicious anemia
MC from undercooked chicken
Causes inflammatory diarrhea (chicken holding match)
Type III secretion system that detects eukaryotic cells secretes protein that helps w/ infectivity (turkey baster)
Facultated intracellular - Invades lymphatics in colon and taken into macrophages (bird cages)
Shigella sonnei
She-Gorilla’s Circus
Most common Shigella species in US.
Green colonies on Hektoen agar (green tutu) to ddx vs salmonella
Immotile (gorilla is chained down)
Acid stable (walking tight rope) and thus needs less organisms for infections
Induces M cells in Peyer’s patches to phagocytose them and then escapes phagosome before degredation. Then makes tail from host cytoskeleton for propulsion. (she-gorilla being shot from cannon landing on M pad)
Facultative intracellular
Inflammatory and bloody diarrhea (red stool that She-gorilla is sitting on) surrounded by flames (inflammatory)
Shigella dysenterae
She-Gorilla’s Circus
Green colonies on Hektoen agar (green tutu) to ddx vs salmonella
Immotile (gorilla is chained down)
Acid stable (walking tight rope) and thus needs less organisms for infections
Induces M cells in Peyer’s patches to phagocytose them and then escapes phagosome before degredation. Then makes tail from host cytoskeleton for propulsion. (she-gorilla being shot from cannon landing on M pad)
Facultative intracellular
Inflammatory and bloody diarrhea (red stool that She-gorilla is sitting on) surrounded by flames (inflammatory)
Can precipitate HUS in patients under 10 (little boy with whip).
Shiga toxin produces endothelial damage esp. in glomerulus (whip) and a drop in platelet count (spinning plates) and hemolysis (popping baloons)
Inhibits 60s subunit (hour glass) blocking ribosomes.
Type III secretion system (turkey baster)
Eschericia coli (EHEC)
E. cola’s Soda fountain (hamburger specifically)
Enterhemorrhagic (EHEC)
Transmitted by eating undercooked hamburgers (hamburger)
Blood diarrhea (name or ketchup spill and red stool of kid)
Only E coli that doesn’t ferment sorbitol (bottle of soda that is sorbitol free)
Shiga like toxin that inhibits ribosome at 60s position (she-gorilla happy meal toy)
HUS esp. in kids under 10. Damage of endothelial cells esp in glomerulus (straw); platelet aggregation and thrombocytopenia (plates) and hemolysis (red balloon being popped)
O157H7 (Burger only $1.57)
Eschericia coli (ETEC)
E cola’s Soda fountain (water truck)
Entertoxigenic (ETEC)
AKA traveler’s diarrhea (water truck which travels)
Classic hx is recent travel to mexico (eL Agua de San Gabriel Mexico)
Heat labile toxin increases cAMP (eL Agua) –> very similar to cholera toxin
Heat stabile increases cGMP (San Gabriel)
Watery diarrhea (man standing on stool unloading water)
Eschericia coli (general)
E. cola’s Soda fountain
Lactose fermenter and pink on MacConkey’s agar (pink milk carton)
Encapsulated (glass capsule surrounding Kake)
K antigen (K on cake) used for serotyping
Metallic green sheen on EMB agar (green coasters)
Catalase positive (Catalase cat)
Fimbrae or pili cause UTI (Blond girl w/ special UTI cup)
MCC of UTI (#1 on glass)
MCC of gram negative sepsis due to LPS (pink milk shake)
Neonatal meningitis if K capsule antigen positive (kid w/ helmet reaching for cake)
Yersinia enterocolitica
Yersin’s Pets (English terrier cage)
Transmiited through puppy feces (dog w/ poop in cage)
MC affected demographic is little kids (toddler)
Can be transmitted through contaminated milk products (baby’s bottle)
Resistant to cold temperatures (icicles)
Gram negative w/ bipolar staining or safety pin staining (safety pin diapers)
Encapsulated (glass capsule)
Causes bloody diarrhea (red stool of kid)
Fever, leukocytosis, and abscesses, intestinal infx etc. rarely. Main complication is that it can mimic appendicitis –> hx of puppies or sick kids (dog licking RLQ of toddler)
Yersinia pestis
Yersin’s Pets
Cause of bubonic plague that killed 25 million people
Resevoir is rodents esp. prarie dogs (rodent bin)
Vector is flea (poster on door)
Form buboes or characteristic swollen, tender lymph nodes (guy w/ buboes buying flea spray)
Abscesses, DIC (endotoxin, and cutaneous hemorrhage causing necrosis and death of appendages (black death)
Exotoxins and YOPS yersinia outer proteins that cause macrophage and neutrophil destruction.
YOPS secreted by type III secretion system (turkey baster filling prairie dog
Rx: Aminoglycoside and tetracyclines (Scythe for picking up poop and mouse wheel)
Killed vaccine available (not routinely used (vaccinate your pets before they are killed poster)
Campylobacter jejuni
Camping Guy and the Bears
Rare complication is Guillan-Barre (Guy and Bear in title and cubs playing w/ sausages)
Thermophilic (campfire)
Main resevoir is intestinal tract of other organisms (chicken on fire)
Fecal-oral transmission
Blood diarrhea (red stools around campfire)
Curved gram-negative rod (mustache)
Oxidase positive (oxidase ring)
Bacteremia possible w/ invasion (bear cub invading cooler)
Reactive arthritis (reactive knee slap) aka Reiter’s syndrome
Vibrio cholerae
Colonel Cholera’s Base cAMP
Endemic to developing country
Gram negative comma shaped bacteria (comma-shaped mustache and red raft in river)
Profuse watery diarrhea up to 10-20 L per day. (Rice pattie covered in water)
Fecal-Oral transmission via poor sanitation leading to food and water contamination (set-up of outhouse)
Pathogenesis: attaches to ganglioside receptors in cell wall using fimbrae and relases cholera toxin (boat tied to wall)
Cholera toxin increases cAMP by binding to and constituatively activating AC via Gs (Tear gas)
Rx: Oral Rehydration w/ lytes (Colonel drinking water)
Grows on alkaline media (BASE cAMP) and thus is acid labile (lemon slices)
Oxidase positive (blue ring)
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Colonel Cholera’s Base cAMP
Can contaminate seafood esp. oysters
Vibrio vulnificus
Colonel Cholera’s Base cAMP
Can contaminate seafood esp. oysters
Helicobactor pylorii
The Helicopter Pilot
Helicobacter - shape
Pylorii - found near pylorus
Very common (80% are infected in developing countries and 50% of US.
Pseudomonas aeriginosa
The Suitors of Pseudo Mona
Gram negative rod (Red Tub)
Water loving (Tub filled with water)
Oxidase positive (blue ring)
Catalase positive (Catalase Cat) –> Chronic Granulomatous Disease patients at large risk
Blue Green pigment from pyocyanin and pyoverdin (blue green growth on tub)
Grape smelling (Pseudo Mona eating grapes)
Obligate Aerobe (air bellows)
MCC of gram negative nosocomial pneumonia (Maid is nurse)
MCC of respiratory failure in CF patients (Pseudo Mona’s Maid pouring Cl into tub)
Common cause of osteomyelitis in IV drug users and Diabetics (fish bones next to jar of candy and mortar and pestle)
Encapsulated (glass capsule on candy)
Bad complication in burn patients (maid is on fire)
Nosocomial UTIs (Champer pot next to nurse)
Cause of Hot tub folliculitis (pruritic papular pustular foliculitis) in under-chlorinated hot tubs (hot tub in scene)
Ecthyma Gangrenosum - black necrotic lesions of skin following sepsis (dalmation)
Otitis Externa aka swimmer’s ear (nosey maid listening to suitor’s)
Exotoxin A - ribosylation of Elongation Factor 2 causing inhibition of protein synthesis and cell death (Green w/ bow and accordion like diptheria)
Rx: Pipercillin (second suitor)
Aminoglycosides (Scythe in suitor’s belt) and Fluoroquinolones (Flower)
Proteus Mirabilis
The God of the Public Restroom
Gram negative (light red paint)
Swarming motility (Tentacles)
Causes Staghorn Calculi (Stag Horn Helmet)
Urease Positive (NH3 bottle) which creates alkaline environment for precipitation of Ammonium Magnesium Phosphate stones (throwing stone) that can also serve as nidus for future infx
Fishy odor (fish around Proteus tentacles)
Rx: TMP-SMX (rotting eggs)
Bordatella Pertussis
Board and Care for veterans
Uses filamentous hemagglutinin or pili for attachment (streamers on floor)
Pertussis toxin ADP ribosylates (Bow tie) and inhibits GI (disabled GI in wheel chair) which leads to a rise in cAMP (Army Camp outside window)
Massive lymphocytosis due to inability to enter lymph (GI’s box of popcorn)
Adenylate cyclase toxin that acts like AC causing and increase in cAMP –> same as edema factor in anthracis (Viking shield with EF on wall)
Tracheal Toxin which is part of peptidoglycan wall that damages ciliated cells (Tracheal tractor cleaving grass on midline road)
Catarrhal Phase of 1-2 weeks w/ unspecific sx
Paroxysmal stage w/ intense coughing that causes whoop on inspiration (Coughing GI w/ Whoop horn)
Convalescent stage w/ gradual reduction in sx over 3 months - aka 100 day cough (victory in the 100 days world)
Rx: Macrolides if early (Crow w/ beak covered to stop droplets for protection)
Prevention: Acellular vaccine composed of purified antigen as part of DTaP (acelullar pertusses = aP –> vaccine next to a cellular phone)
Haemophilus influenza
Phyllis’s Chocolate Covered Cherries
Gram negative (light red hues)
Coccobacilli (coccobacilli shape candy machine)
Grown on chocolate agar w/ factor 5 NAD (Nickel for candy) and factor 10 or hematin (HemaTEN - phyllis is selling chocolates for $0.10
Transmitted by aerosol (phyllis spraying glass)
MCC of epiglottitis w/ inflamed cherry red epiglottis, inspiratory stridor, drooling and fever (Screaming kid w/ huge epiglottitis who dropped chocolate covered cherry)
Common cause of otitis media (other kid who is plugging his ears to screaming)
Encapsulated type B (bee flying around capsule over candies) strain can cause meningitis (Astronaut kid w/ meningitis helmet)
Splenectomized or sickle cell patients are at high risk
Vaccine for type B aka HiB (opposite of neisseria and space explorer has syringe) that is a polysaccharide conjugated to diptheria give between 2-18 months (sugar dipped cherries for $2.18).
Rx: Ceftriaxone for Meningitis (three axes) and Rifampin for close contacts (cowboy kid who isn’t sick w/ rifampin rifle)
Legionell pneumophila
The S.S. Cysteine Joins the Legion
Gram negative, but needs to be silver stained for visualization (Rusty ship being painted silver)
Grown on buffered charcoal (coal powered ship) yeast extract w/ cysteine (name of ship) and iron (anchor by name)
Legionairre’s Disease - commonly in smoker (sailor smoking) causing atypical pneumonia w/ patchy infiltrate and unilateral lobar pneumonia on CXR (blue print of ship). Associated w/ hyponatremia (salt spilling into ocean) and neurologic sx i.e. headache or confusion (paint can falling on sailor) and diarrhea (brown paint all over other sailor). Also have high fevers (coal scooper)
Pontiac Fever - self limited w/ fever and malaise (old pontiac w/ steaming hood)
Rapid Urine Antigen test (sailor urinating into water)
Rx: Macrolides (crows) and fluoroquinolones (flower paintings on smoke stack and sailor handing girl flower)
Oxidase positive (oxidase ring on girl)
