Chlamydia and Rickettsia pt. 2

Question 1

What does Legionella pneumophila cause

Answer 1

• Legionaire’s disease

Question 2

What does Bordetella pertussis cause

Answer 2

• Whooping cough

Question 3

What does Haemophilus influenzae cause

Answer 3

• meningitis and septicaemia in children < 6 months

Question 4

What is the characteristics of Legionella pneumophila

Answer 4

• non spore forming, gram negative rods that form short thin forms to longer filamentous forms
• motile via a single polar flagellum
• aerobic
• grow in tap water and water

Question 5

What is the most common form of transmission for Legionella

Answer 5

• inhalation of contaminated aerosols produced in conjunction with water sprays, jets or mists

Question 6

Explain Legionnaire’s disease

Answer 6

• acute pneumonia. Bacterium multiplies in alveolar macrophages
• produce cytokines that elict an influx of monocyte and polymorphonuclear cells
• obliteration of the air spaces compromises respiratory function
• fevers, cough, breathlessness

Question 7

Explain the chain of causation for legionella infection

Answer 7

• enviornmental reservoir ->
• multiplication (stagnation, temperature nutrients) ->
• Dissemination by aerosol generation (running tap, shower, toilet flush, spraying flowers, jacuzzis, cooling towers etc) ->
• inhalation into lungs by suseptible host (age, sex, etc)

Question 8

What are the general characteristics for bordetella pertussis

Answer 8

• aerobic, gram negative, small coccobacillus, specific to humans only, colonizes the respiratory tract to cause whooping cough

Question 9

What is the transmission to bordatella pertussis

Answer 9

• transmission via droplets, inhalation

Question 10

What happens in whooping cough

Answer 10

• colonisation of the bacteria in the upper respiratory tract, production of toxins
• forceful, hacking successive coughs
• title time for breating
• whoop when air rushes back into the lungs