Bacteria of GI Flashcards
Listeria morphology? Growth range?
Aerobic Gram + Bacilli/Rod Non-spore forming 1-45 degrees - storage and salt conditions of prepared foods/fridge
Explain Listeria’s pathogenesis
Ingest contaminated food
Enter and adhere to host (can survive bile salt and acid conditions)
Enter enterocytes or M cells of Peyer patches (ileum)
Low pH of phagosome activates listerolysin O + 2 different phospholipase C enzymes
Replicate in cytoplasm
ActA on one side of bacteria polymerize host actin so bacteria can move to the membrane
Pushes bacteria to uninfected cell, REPEAT
Which bacteria cause systemic infections?
Listeria
Salmonella
How does Listeria cause systemic infections?
After getting into enterocytes/M cells, it can polymerize the actin and push out of the intestinal lining -> entry into macrophage and SPREAD TO RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM (spleen, liver, etc)
Listeria epidemiology? How can it be transferred?
Human disease (listeriosis) is sporadic
Unprocessed meats, unpasteurized milk, contaminated cheese, unwashed raw veggies
Feces of animals (mammals, birds, fish)
Can survive in fridge
HUMAN TO HUMAN via mother to child in utero (in 3rd trimester when cellular immunity is low)
Highest in eldery, neonates, pregnant women, transplant pts, AIDS, defects in CELLULAR immunity
How does listeriosis in neonates affect them?
Early onset in utero: abortion, stillbirth, premature
Granulomatosis infantiseptica = granuloma formation in multiple organs
Later onset (2-3 weeks after birth): meningitis or meningoencephalitis with septicemia
Clinical presentation of listeria in pregnant women?
Influenza with fever
Happens during 3rd trimester when cellular immunity is impaired
Clinical presentation of listeria in adults?
Healthy: mild flu-like sickness, acute, self-limited gastroenteritis
Compromised: meningitis, high mortality, significant neurologic sequelae
Lab dx of listeria?
Gram stain of CSF in meningitis pts (>10,000/ml)
Culture - cold enrichment (if its too hot, not as motile)
Biochemical tests
Serological tests (13 serotypes)
Pulsed gel electrophoresis
Treatment of listeriosis? Vaccine?
Gentamicin + penicillin or ampicillin
No vaccine!
Why is listeria hard to control? What steps to take?
Ubiquitous in environment, lots of animals, wide temp range
Naturally cephalosporin resistant
Avoid eating raw/partially cooked food, soft cheeses, unwashed raw veggies
Where is salmonella found?
soil, water, normal intestinal flora
What antigens can be found on salmonella?
H: flagellar protein antigen
K or Vi: capsular antigens for E. coli and S. typhi
O: LPS antigen
How many different salmonella serotypes?
> 2500 unique
Are all salmonella found in humans?
No, broad host range (mammals, birds, reptiles, rodents, etc
S. typhi and S. paratyphi are highly adapted to humans
How are Salmonella and Listeria similar? Different?
Similar:
- Salmonella can resist stomach acid, attach and invade mucose of small intestine and invade into enterocytes/M cells of Peyer patches
- Both cause systemic infections by replicating in macrophages and spreads through reticuloendothelial system - TYPHI (liver, spleen, blood, bone marrow)
Differences:
- Salmonella replicates within endocytic vacuoles (vs cytoplasm)
How does Salmonella cause gastroenteritis?
Serotypes OTHER than typhi and paratyphi!
- Infection and replication induces inflammatory response
- Disruption of enterocytes and malabsorption
- Release of PGs, stimulation of cAMP and fluid secretion
How does Salmonella cause enteric or typhoid fever?
S. Typhi (humans, remember)
- Same invasion and replication as in gastroenteritis
- Typhi ALSO replicates in macrophages to enter reticuloendothelial system
- Bacteremia causes fever and leads to localized infections like osteomyelitis, endocarditis, arthritis, or perforations of intestine
How is salmonella transmitted?
Enteric/Typhoid fever: human to human, fecal-oral
Gastroenteritis: Ingestion of contaminated food (poultry, eggs, dairy products, ground beef) ALSO feces from amphibians and reptiles
Outbreaks in children of Salmonella can occur with the introduction of _____
pet turtles
Clinical salmonella gastroenteritis?
Symptoms 6-48 hours after consumption of contaminated food and last for 2-7 days, self limiting
Fever, ab cramps, myalgias, headache, nausea, vomiting and nonbloody diarrhea
Clinical enteric fever?
10-14 days after ingestion; bacteremic phase (gradual fever, headache, anorexia, rose spots) followed by gastrointestinal symptoms
Colonization of gall bladder and reinfection of the intestines
Why is time a factor in diagnosing salmonella?
6 hours is a cut off point; is it an infection where the bacteria needed time to replicate or did the person consume contaminated preformed toxin which has quicker effects leading to intoxication?
ALL species of salmonella can cause bacteremia. True or false?
TRUE; Compromised hosts at risk for septicemia
Lab dx of salmonella?
Stool culture -> grow it in a medium that selects for salmonella vs normal flora
Lactose negative, motile, MAKES H2S!
How to treat salmonella?
Careful with food prep and storage, hand washing
- Ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole OR ciprofloxacin for systemic infections
Is there a vaccine for Salmonella?
Yes, for travelers:
- Live attenuated vaccine Ty21a, good for 5 years, 6 capsules every other day, booster at 4 years not rec for under 6 yo
- Typhim = Vi polysaccharide capsule vaccine not rec for under 2 yo
Shigella characteristics?
Gram neg Non-motile Doesn't ferment lactose NO capsule Low infectious dose, spread p2p, fec oral route