Chapter 24: Microbial Diseases of Respiratory System

Question 1

What is the causative agent of typical pneumonia?

Answer 1

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Question 2

What allows the bacterial pathogen to cause scarlet fever?

Answer 2

Erythrogenic toxin produced by lysogenized Streptococcus pyogenes

Question 3

what is the organism responsible for strep throat/pharyngitis?

Answer 3

Streptococcus pyogenes group A; GAS

Question 4

What is the causative agent of walking pneumonia? Why is this type of pneumonia called ‘walking’?

Answer 4

Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Called walking pneumonia because symptoms are very mild (low fever, cough, headache)

Question 5

What genera of bacteria commonly causes middle ear infections? What is the scientific term for this disorder?

Answer 5

Streptococcus
Otis media

Question 6

What is the causative agent of tuberculosis?

Answer 6

Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be inhaled and are phagocytized by macrophages. They then replicate within macrophages

Question 7

what are tubercles?

Answer 7

Clumps of macrophages that wall off bacteria then become calcified to form tubercles

Question 8

What disease is caused by Bordatella pertussis?

Answer 8

whooping cough

Question 9

What vaccine is used to protect against Bordatella pertussis?

Answer 9

DTaP vaccine

Question 10

What three groups of viruses most commonly cause colds?

Answer 10

Rhinoviruses
Coronaviruses
Enterovirus

Question 11

What are the primary characteristics caused by a cold?

Answer 11

sneezing, nasal secretion, congestion

Question 12

What are the principal symptoms and signs of influenza?

Answer 12

Chills, fever, headache, and muscle aches

Question 13

Which type of influenza is the most severe? (Influenza A or B?)

Answer 13

Influenza A can cause pandemic and significant mortalities

Question 14

What is the genome of influenza?

Question 15

What are some of the reservoirs of influenza?

Answer 15

Humans, pigs, horses, birds, marine mammals (spec. in A)

Question 16

what is the function of hemagglutinin?

Answer 16

are spike proteins within influenza virus that allow for recognition and attachment to host cells

Question 17

What is the function of neuraminidase?

Answer 17

Spike proteins within influenza virus that help virus separate from the infected cell after replication occurs

Question 18

What is the name of the process that produces minor variations to influenza?

Answer 18

Antigenic drift (minor changes in HA and NA) allow virus to evade some host immunity

Question 19

How is antigenic shift accomplished?

Answer 19

When two different influenza viruses circulating in the environment infect and multiply inside the same cell, they can then exchange or reassort genetic material and create a new virus

Question 20

What is the reason for tracking and making a new influenza vaccine each year?

Answer 20

Each strain of influenza can easily mutate by going through antigenic drift and shift of their spike proteins HA and NA

Question 21

What does the abbreviation RSV stand for?

Answer 21

Respiratory Syncytial virus

Question 22

Describe signs and symptoms of RSV

Answer 22

Respiratory Syncytial virus - Causes syncytium (cell fusion) in a cell culture & coughing/wheezing

Question 23

Know that a new vaccine for RSV has recently been approved for those 65 and older.

Answer 23

palivizumab

Question 24

Which particular group (or groups) of people is most commonly affected by RSV?

Answer 24

Infants (most common viral resp. disease)
and older adults (life-threatening pneumonia)

Question 25

What virus causes COVID-19?

Answer 25

Type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)

Question 26

What are some signs and symptoms of COVID-19?

Answer 26

flu-like symptoms, cough, fever, and shortness of breath

Question 27

What therapies have been FDA (emergency use) approved to treat COVID?

Answer 27

Oral antivirals: Paxlovid and molnupiravir

Question 28

What 2 vaccines are in circulation in the US to help reduce severity or prevent COVID?

Answer 28

Pfizer and Moderna (nucleic acid vaccines)