Chapter 22: Microbial Diseases of Nervous System

Question 1

What is meningitis?

Answer 1

Inflammation of the meninges

Question 2

What is encephalitis?

Answer 2

Inflammation of the brain (most severe)

Question 3

What are the 4 bacteria that commonly cause meningitis?

Answer 3

• Steptococcus pneumoniae
• Neisseria meningitides
• Haemophilus influenza type B (hib)
• Listeria monocytogenes

most have capsule (protects from phagocytosis) except Listeria monocytogenes

Question 4

Diseases caused by bacteria:

Answer 4

• Bacterial meningitis
• Clostridium tetani
• Clostridium botulinum
• Mycobacterium leprae

Question 5

Diseases caused by viruses:

Answer 5

• Polio virus
• Rabies virus
• Zika virus

Question 6

Diseases caused by fungi:

Answer 6

• Cryptococcus neoformans

Question 7

Which type of meningitis is more common in college aged students?

Answer 7

• Neisseria meningitides. (meningitis B)
  Droplet or direct contact.

Question 8

Which meningitis bacterial type can be transferred from mother to fetus?

Answer 8

Listeria monocytogenes

Question 9

What is a critical symptom of meningitis?

Answer 9

Inflammation of the meninges (leading to swelling of the brain (encephalitis) which can then lead to death)

Question 10

How do viral and bacterial meningitis compare?

Answer 10

• Viral is more common and mild.
• Bacterial can be fatal

Question 11

What organism causes botulism?

Answer 11

Clostridium botulinum

Question 12

Is botulism caused by the organism itself or a released toxin?

Answer 12

Released toxin (exotoxin/neurotoxin)

Question 13

What type of paralysis is caused by botulism?

Answer 13

Flaccid paralysis- muscle weakening

Question 14

What is the connection with babies, honey and botulism?

Answer 14

Honey can contain Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which lives in soil and dust. Babies don’t have a strong immune system, they are more vulnerable to botulism

Question 15

Know the major misconceptions about leprosy:

Answer 15

• It’s contagious
• It’s flesh eating
• Deadly

Question 16

What causes leprosy?

Answer 16

Mycobacterium leprae

Question 17

Misconceptions on Hansen’s disease (leprosy)

Answer 17

There are many misconceptions about leprosy, such as being highly contagious, deadly, flesh eating and others. In reality leprosy is curable with antibiotics, it takes time but will work. Also, the disease doesn’t cause limbs to fall off, body parts lose feeling and opportunistic bacteria gets in untreated wounds, which leads to amputation; also fingers tend to curl in. It is important to be informed and change our perception about leprosy.

Question 18

What is the alternate term for leprosy?

Answer 18

Hansen’s disease

Question 19

Where does leprosy grow in the human body?

Answer 19

PNS- Peripheral nervous system

Question 20

Types of leprosy:

Answer 20

• Tuberculoid
• Lepromatous

Question 21

How do immune responses contribute to the pathogenesis of leprosy?

Answer 21

Cell mediated immune response, leading to nerve damage.

Question 22

Is tetanus caused by the organism itself or a released toxin?

Answer 22

Released toxin (neurotoxin)

Question 23

What causes tetanus?

Answer 23

Bacteria: Clostridium tetani
- A puncture wound that doesn’t get cleaned.

Question 24

What toxin is released from Clostridium tetani?

Answer 24

Tetanospasmin

Question 25

How does the tetanus toxin affect a person?

Answer 25

Blocks relaxation pathway - muscle spasms, - lockjaw, - opisthotonos: you cant relax contractions

Question 26

How is polio commonly transmitted to a new host?

Answer 26

Ingested (water contaminated with feces)

Question 27

Poliovirus:

Answer 27

- Picornaviridae Known as cause of paralysis

Question 28

How do most infections with polio affect the host?

Answer 28

Most are asymptomatic or mild symptoms.

Question 29

What is the chance that infection with poliovirus will result in paralysis?

Answer 29

Less than 1%

Question 30

Which body structure is completely paralyzed by a severe polio infection?

Answer 30

Cells in upper spinal cord (lungs: not able to breathe)

Question 31

Disease that is susceptible to vaccination after the initial exposure?

Answer 31

Rabies

Question 32

Describe hydrophobia:

Answer 32

Sight/ thought/ exposure set off spasms of mouth and pharynx

Question 33

How is dumb rabies distinct from classical rabies?

Answer 33

- Dumb: minimal excitability. Quiet, unaware of surroundings. - Furious (classic): Biting behavior,fatal in days, high flow of saliva.

Question 34

What is the general vector for arboviral encephalitis?

Answer 34

Mosquito

Question 35

How can Zika virus spread person to person?

Answer 35

- Sexually - Pregnancy/delivery - Blood transfusions

Question 36

When is Zika the most severe?

Answer 36

Summer months

Question 37

What is the etiology of cryptococcosis?

Answer 37

Inhaling dried, contaminated pigeon droppings. Can affect CNS (fungus)

Question 38

What type of organism can cause meningitis?

Answer 38

- Bacteria - Viruses - Fungi - Protozoa

Question 39

True or false Bacerial meningitis is much more common than viral meningitis and tends to cause a milder form of disease

Answer 39

False

Question 40

True or false Botulism is caused by the bacteria and not the toxin

Answer 40

False