Bacteria: Spirochetes Flashcards
List the 3 spirochetes
- Borrielia Birgdorferi
- Leptospria Interrogans
- Treponema Pallidum
Borrelia Burgdorferi
spirochete
Lyme disease commonly occurs in the
northeastern US
Lyme disease is transmitted by the
Ixodes tick
The _______ _________ _______ is the host of the Ixodes tick larvae (the vector of Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria)
white footed mouse
The ______ ______ ______ is the obligatory host of adult Ixodes ticks (the vector of Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria)
white-tailed deer
Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria can be visualized using a
Wright or Wright-Giemsa stain
A hallmark of early localized Lyme disease (stage 1) is
erythema chorincum migrans (or a “bull’s-eye” rash)
early localized Lyme disease (stage 1) may present with
flu like symptoms such as fever and chills
Early disseminated Lyme disease (stage 2) may result in
- heart block caused by myocarditis
2. bilateral Bell’s Palsy
Late disseminated Lyme Disease (stage 3) may result in
- large joint migratory polyarthritis
2. encephalopathy
_________ should be administered during early stages of Lyme disease
Doxycycline
_____ should be administered during late stages or in severe cases of Lyme disease
ceftriaxone
Leptospira interrogans
spirochete
Leptospira interrogans spirochetes have a
question mark appearance on microscopy
Leptospira interrogans can be found in
water contaminated with infected animal urine
Leptospirosis commonly presents with
fever
non-suppurative conjunctivitis is a common finding in
early leptospirosis
Weil’s disease
severe form of leptospirosis involving renal and hepatic failure
leptospirosis can involve
multiple organs by hematogenous spread
leptospirosis/Weil’s disease can cause
- acute kidney injury
- liver dysfunction
- jaundice
Treponema pallidum
spirochete
Treponema pallidum is a
spirochetal bacteria that appears spiral-shaped on microscopy
What is needed for direct visualization of Treponema pallidum
dark-field microscopy is needed for direct visualization of Treponema pallidum bacteria
What is the screening test for syphillis
VDRL
What can cause a false positive result on a VDRL test
- mono
- rheumatoid factor
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- leprosy
- IV drug use
What is the confirmatory test for syphillis
the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS) is the confirmatory test for syphilis
Primary stage of Syphilis
chancres are painless sores that typically form on the genitals or anus during the primary stage of syphilis
Secondary syphilis is a
systemic disease
Secondary Syphilis
- a diffuse maculopapular rash occurs during secondary syphilis and commonly involves the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- condyloma lata are flat-topped cutaneous lesions that sometimes develop on the genitals during the secondary stage of syphilis
Treponema pallidum spirochetes can be visualized within
condyloma lata using dark-field microscopy
Gummas
gummas are soft growths with firm, necrotic centers that form during the tertiary stage of syphilis
syphilitic aortitis
syphilitic aortitis (which occurs during the tertiary stage of syphilis) presents with “tree-barking” of the aorta and may result in the formation of a thoracic aortic aneurysm
the destruction of the vasa vasorum by Treponema pallidum bacteria is the cause of
syphilitic aortitis during the tertiary stage of syphilis
Tabes Dorasalis
tabes dorsalis (a demyelination of the of the nerves in the dorsal/posterior columns of the spinal cord) is a complication of tertiary syphilis
Argyll Robertson pupils
Argyll Robertson pupils (which display accommodation but do not react to light) may be seen during the tertiary stage of syphilis
Saber shins
saber shins (a sharp anterior bowing of the tibia) is a possible complication of congenital syphilis
Sadle Nose
saddle nose (a collapse of part of the nasal bridge) is a possible complication of congenital syphilis
Hutchinson’s Teeth
Hutchinson’s teeth (blunted/notched incisors) and Mulberry molars (enamel growth on cusps of molars) are possible complications of congenital syphilis
Congenital syphilis may result in
congenital syphilis may result in sensorineural hearing loss
_____ is an effective treatment for syphilis
Penicillin
The Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction
consists of fever and chills caused by exotoxin release due to the death of Treponema pallidum bacteria after initiation of antibiotic therapy
the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is characterized by
fever and chills
