Clinical Pathology Flashcards
Name the 3 gram positive cocci and 2 gram negative cocci
Positive|: Staph aureus Staph pyogenes Streptococcus agalaitae Negative: Neisseria meningitides Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Name the gram positive (5) and negative (5) bacilli
Positive: Bacillus anthracis Clostridium difficile Listeria monocytogenes Corynebacterium Diptheriae Negative: Salmonella Typhi Shingella spp Escherichia Coli Proteus spp Yersinia pestis
Name the 4 gram positive coccobacilli
Haemophilus
Bordetella
Brucella
Pasteurella
Name the 5 spiral bacteria
Helicobacter Campylobacter Borrielia Leptospira Treponema Pallidium
What does staphylococcus aureus cause?
Skin, soft tissue, bone infections and endocarditis
What does coagulase negative staphylococci cause?
Prosthetic device infection
What does streptococcus pyogenes cause?
Scarlet fever, sore throat, necrotising fasciitis, puerperal sepsis
What does streptococcus pneumoniae cause?
Pneumonia, meningitis
What does escherichia coli cause?
UTI’s, sepsis, intra-abdominal infections
What does pseudomonas aeruginosa cause?
Ventilator associated pneumoniae
What does Neisseria meningitidis cause?
Meningococcal sepsis, meningitis
What does Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause?
Gonorrhoea, ophthalmia neonatorum
What does haemophilia influenzae cause?
Respiratory tract infections, meningitis, epiglottitis
What does chlamydia trachomatis cause?
Chlamydia
What does clostridium difficile cause?
Pseudomembranous colitis
What does mycobacterium tuberculosis cause?
TB - pulmonary and extra pulmonary
Meningitis
What are the 6 stages of virus life cycle?
- Adsorption
- Penetration
- Uncoating
- Synthesis
- Assembly
- Release
Describe the herpes virus (5 Strains)
Simplex 1 - coldsores Simplex 2 - genital Varicella zoster - chickenpox/shingles Epstein-Barr - EBV Cytomegalovirus - CMV
Describe respiratory viruses (4)
Rhinovirus - common cold
Influenza - Flu
Covid
Respiratory syncytial virus- bronchiolitis
Describe hepatitis viruses mode of transmission (4)
Hep A +E - faeco-oral
Hep B + C - Sexual, vertical, parenteral
Describe GI tract transmitted viruses (3)
Norovirus
Rotavirus
Enteroviruses - polio, fever rash syndromes
Describe the 4 “childhood” viruses
Mumps - parotids, orchitis
Measles - encephalitis SSPE
Rubella
Parvovirus - erythema infectious
Describe prions viruses
CJD
nvCID
Both show spongiform encephalopathy
Mad Cow disease
Describe dermatophytes
originate in soil/animals or humans
Geophilic
Zoophilic
Anthropophilic
Describe the 5 common fungal diseases
Tinea pedis - athletes foot Tinea unguinum - fungal nail disease Tinea curries - jock itch Tinea corporis - ringworm Tinea capitis - scalp ringworm
What is the treatment for tines capitis?
Systematic oral antifungals depending on cause - griseofulvin, terbinafine, itraconazole
What is malassezia?
Genus of yeasts
Part of normal skin flora
Causes pityriasis vesicolor
What are the 5 malaria species?
Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium Vivax Plasmodium Ovale Plasmodium Malariae Plasmodium Knowlesi
What is the atopic triad?
Eczema, asthma and rhinitis
What is auto inflammation?
Spontaneous attacks of systematic inflammation, no specific source of infection and an absence of high titre autoantibodies and antigen specific auto reactive T cells
What are the histamine producing cells?
Mast cells
Basophils
Eosinophils
Describe autoimmunity
- T cells recognition of self antigens
- B cells and plasma cells that make autoantibodies
- Inflammation in target cells, tissues and organs is secondary to actions of T cells, B cells and autoantibodies
What are the three mechanisms of autoimmunity?
- Failure of central tolerance - T cell and B cell selection in the thymus and bone marrow retrospectively
- Genetic predisposition - HLA types selected for certain self antigens
- Antigenic factors - infections that trigger autoimmune response, environmental triggers ie. UV light, smoking etc
What does a non functional FoxP3 gene indicate?
Gene for immune system, lack of functionality indicates no functional T cells present within the immune system
What are the two types of autoimmune thyroid disease?
Hashimotos Thyroiditis - under active
Graves - overactive
Describe SLE (Systematic lupus erythematous)
Autoantibodies form against different molecules in the cell nucleus: ddDNA, dsDNA, ribosomes, histones
Describe sequestered antigens involved in cell death and failed clearance of nuclear antigens
- Nuclear self antigens are intracellular (shielded from immune system)
- Apoptosis clears nuclear material
- Necrosis cell death, nuclear antigens may not be cleared and may act as antigens to the immune system
Describe ANA - antinuclear antibodies
Antibodies that bind to the cell nucleus, can be more specific and identify subtypes of antibody that bind to parts of the nucleus
- Target nucleus of cell
Describe anti-CCP antibody (ACPA)
Specific 95%, useful as a prognostic marker. Positive ACPA indicate more severe and erosive disease
- Usually used for rheumatoid arthritis
Describe ANCA testing
Pattern of autoantibody
- Suggests clinical diagnosis specifically for vasculitis
Describe autoantibodies in type 1 diabetes
- Non pathogenic
- Several types: islet cell antibodies, antiGAD65, antiGAD67, antiinsulinoma antigen 2 and insulin autoantibodies
- Disappear with progression of disease and total destruction of beta islet cells Disease confirmation
Describe Pernicious Anaemia in relation to antibodies
Antigen: H+, K+ ATPase located in the gastric parietal cells of rodent stomach
- Clinical antibody present in more than 90% of patients with pernicious anaemia
- Autoimmune gastritis leads to pernicious anaemia which is characterised by antibodies to GPC and intrinsic factor
Describe defects in innate immunity
- Neutrophils and macrophages
- Pathogen recognition receptors recognise conserved pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)
- Liposaccharide = PAMP
- Phagocytes use PRRs to detect pathogens
Describe complement deficiencies
- C2,C4 - SLE infections and myositis
- C5-C9 form membrane attack complex, present with repeated bacterial meningitis - Neisseria
Describe chronic granulomatous disease
- Recurrent abscesses: lung, liver, bone, skin and gut
- Unusual organisms e.g. staphylococcus, klebsiella, serretia, aspergillum, fungi
Diagnosis: rely on reduction neutrophil function test or nitro blue tetrazolium dye
Describe defects in the adaptive immunity
- Antibody production
- B cell defects: CVID, IgA deficiency , x linked hyper IgM syndrome transient hypoglobulinaemia of infancy
- Loss of antibody secretion
- lead to recurrent bacterial infections
What is the treatment for antibody deficiency?
Antibiotics and immunoglobulin G replacement from blood donors
Describe SCID
Severe combined immunodeficiency disease
- No T cells + suggestive history
- Paediatric emergency with haemopoietic stem cell transplant as only cure
- Antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals given as treatment
- Causes: absence of critical T cell molecule TCR common gamma chain, loss of communication MHC2 deficiency, metabolic adenosine deaminase deficiency
Describe adoptive immunotherapy
Bone marrow transplant
Stem cell transplant, replacement of the immune system
Describe the drugs targeting lymphocytes
Antimetabolites - azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)
Calcineurin Inhibitors - cyclosporin A, tacrolimus
M-TOR inhibitors - sirolimus
IL-2 receptor mABs - Basiliximab, daclizumab
What are JAK inhibitors?
Newest treatment for RA working by blocking the signalling pathways, slow down the immune system and therefore reduce RA symptoms
Describe HLA typing
- Inherit HLA type from parents
- Each couple have 4 possible types
- Class 1 and A antigens are the most important in relation to transplant matches
- Serological cell based
Describe Complement dependent Cytotoxicity Test CDC
Detects complement fixing IgG/IgM HLA and non-HLAs
- Limited sensitivity
- Non-HLA interference
Describe antibody detection in transplantation
- Prevents hyper acute rejection
- Specific against donor - pre-transplant crossmatch living or cadaveric
- Avoid aborted transplants
- Sensitising events - previous transplant, pregnancy and blood transfusions
Describe acute cellular rejection (ACR)
- T cell dependent, T cell immunosuppression
- Directed against foreign HLA molecules effect of HLA mismatch
- Typically 7-10 days after transplant
Describe hypogammaglobulinemias
- Antibody problems
- Congenital X linked Acquired - multiple myeloma, burns
- Usually encapsulated bacteria pneumoniae
- Gardia lambila
- Treatment typically with immunoglobulins
What are qualitative and quantitative neutrophil defects?
Qualitative - chemotaxis - rare congenital inadequate signalling
Quantitative - killing power, inherited at risk of staph aureus infections - chronic granulomatous disease
Describe empirical therapy - neutropenic patients
Treatment: broad spectrum antibiotics
1st line - antipseudomonal penicillin +/- gentamicin
2nd line - carbapenem
- Often normal flora - coagulase negative staph
- Fungal infections
- Viruses - Granulocyte stimulation factors
What is immunomodulation?
The therapeutic effect that may lead to immunopotentiation, immunosuppression or induction of immunological tolerance
What are 4 common acute RNA viruses?
Influenza, measles, mumps and hepatitis A
What viral syndromes have vesicular rashes?
Chicken pox
Herpes simplex 1/2
Enterovirus
What viral syndromes have non vesicular rashes?
Measles
Rubella
Parvovirus
HHV6
What is the baseline treatment for herpes simplex virus?
Aciclovir
What is the treatment of hepatitis B?
Lamivudine and Tenofovir
Describe HAART Therapy
Highly Active Antiviral Therapy - 2 Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and NNRTI’s
- Require life long treatment
What are the beta lactams?
Penecillins
Cephalosporins - can
Carbapenems
Monobactams
What beta lactam antibiotic can patients with penicillin allergies also react to?
Cephalosporins
What are the 3 groups of anti fungal cell membrane agents? + an example for each
Azoles - itraconazole
Polyenes - Amphotericin B and Nystatin
Allylamine - terbinafine
What antibiotics are best to avoid in pregnant women and why?
Quinolones - damage to cartilage
Trimethoprim - folic acid antagonist
Tetracyclins - stains bones/teeth + affects bone growth
What is the antibiotic treatment typically used for Meningitis?
IV Ceftriaxone
What is the antibiotic typically used to treat cellulitis?
Flucloxacillin
What is the typical antibiotic for treatment for necrotising fasciitis?
Meropenem and clindamycin
What are the two methods of antibiotic resistance transfer?
Horizontal transfer via transposons
Vertical transfer - passed via daughter cells in bacterial division
What is canton Valentine leucocidin staph aureus?
PVL - toxin produced by less than 2% of staph aureus
- Causes recurrent skin and soft tissue infections including necrotising haemorrhaging pneumonia
What blood test should be run for investigation of specific infections?
Immunity Detection - IgG - previous infection - IgM - current infection or reactivation Blood cultures M, C and S PCR and microscopy
Describe renal cell carcinoma + gene mutation
Two types - clear cell and papillary
- Typical in 60+ males
- VHL gene mutation
- Common paraneoplastic syndrome
Describe wilm’s tumour
Nephroblastoma - arises from nephroblasts
Typical in children under 5
WT1 gene
Abdominal swelling and pain
Describe urolithiasis
Kidney stones - form obstruction, urinary stasis and local trauma
Describe vesicoureteral reflux
Urine flows backwards from bladder to ureter
- Typical in under 2’s
- Only seen those with symptoms
- UTI due to renal stasis
Describe urothelial carcinoma
Transitional cell carcinoma arising from urothelium
- Typically in adults over 60 and mainly males
- Exposure to chemicals
Describe Neurogenic bladder
Inability to empty bladder
- Spastic - if damage to brain or spinal cord
- Flaccid - if damage to peripheral nerves
Stroke, MS, pregnancy, diabetes
- Lack of bladder control
Describe benign prostatic hyperplasia
Increased stroll and glandular cells - enlarged prostate
- Older men 70% by age 60
Lower urinary tract symptoms
Describe prostatic adenocarcinoma and its gene association
Cancer of prostatic epithelium
- BRCA1/2 association
Describe cryptorchidism
Undescended testis - typical in newborns
- seen more in downs syndrome and kelinfelter syndrome
Describe seminoma
Malignant neoplasm of the testis arising from germ cells in seminiferous tubules
- Young men 25-45
- Pain, changes in testis shape
- Can cause gynecomastia
What is the typical treatment for pyelonephritis?
Cefuroxime, azteonam, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin
What is the typical treatment for prostatitis?
Piperacillintazobactam, ciprofloxacin and cotrimoxazole
Describe the common causes of chronic kidney disease
Diabetes and hypertension
Describe minimal change disease
Children with nephrotic and little/no decrease in renal function
Describe IgA nephropathy (Berger’s Disease)
Autoimmune
- teens with nephritic syndrome, build up of IgA in the glomeruli causing glomerulonephritis if secondary may have PMH of cirrhosis or coeliac
Describe Membranous nephropathy
Autoimmune
- Adults with nephrotic, if secondary may have PMH of hepatitis B or cancer
Describe focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Scar tissue develops on the glomeruli
Adults with nephrotic, if secondary may have PMH of HIV or anabolic steroid use
Describe lupus nephritis
Autoimmune
- Young woman with molar rash and other signs of lupus
- variable types of renal presentations
Describe post infectious glomerulonephritis
Type 3 hypersensitivity reaction
- Children with impetigo or strep throat then develop nephritic syndrome
Describe Granulomatosis with polyangilitis - wegners
Autoimmune small vessel vasculitis
- Haematuria and rapid fall in eGFR
- Nasal and lung symptoms
Describe good pastures disease
Type 2 hypersensitivity reaction
- Haematuria and rapid fall in eGFR
- Haemoptysis due to lung involvement
What are 5 diseases with renal manifestations?
Hypertension Diabetes Vasculitis Myeloma Amyloidosis
Describe autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, mutation and presentation
PCKD - adults
- Caused by PKD1/2 mutation
Presents - ESRD, liver cysts, berry aneurysms, heart valve problems
Describe Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease
PCKD - children
- PKHD 1 mutation
Presents - underdeveloped lungs at birth, 1/3 die in the first month of life
Describe neurocrine
Secretion of hormones into the blood stream by neurones
Describe pituitary tumours
- Benign adenomas
- Hormone producing cells, prolactinoma, growth hormone
Describe hypothyroidism
- More common in women
- Iodine deficiency
Hashimoto’s - Goitre
Insufficiency of Thyroid hormones
Describe hyperthyroidism
Peak age - young women 30-40 yrs - Excess thyroid hormone Graves disease - wide eyed stare - Toxic nodular goitre - most patients euthyroid
Describe thyroid follicular carcinoma and tumour marker
Well differentiated malignant tumour
- Middle Aged onset typically
- 90% secrete thyroglobulin which can be used as tumour marker
- Thyroid nodules
Describe papillary thyroid carcinoma
- Younger females
- Thyroglobulin can be used as tumour marker
Invasion of lymphatics
Describe primary hyperparathyroidism
Aetiology - Parathyroid adenoma
Post menopausal women
- Renal stones, muscle weakness
Describe Cushing’s syndrome
- 25-40 years
- Common cause is oral steroids
- ACTH dependent increase bilateral adrenal hyperplasia
- Excess cortisol
- Moon face, weight gain, obesity, purple striae
Describe conn’s syndrome
More prevalent in 30-50 yrs
- Adrenal cortisol hyperplasia, adenoma, carcinoma and familial hyperaldosteronism
- increased blood pressure, headaches, muscular weakness, muscle spasms, excessive urination
Describe Addison’s disease
- Triad
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Primary adrenal cortical insufficiency
- Secondary due to failure of ACTH secretion
- Triad of hyperpigmentation, postural hypotension and hyponatraemia
- Lethargy, depression, low mood, anorexia etc
Describe pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma
Pheochromocytoma - adults Neuroblastoma - children - Adrenal medullary tumour of neuroendocrine chromaffin cells - Episodic release of catecholamines - Hypertension, sweating, pallor
Describe insulinoma
More common in 40-60yrs
- tumour arising from islets of langerhan
- test for hypoglycaemia to confirm
- Weakness, fatigue, vision problems
What are the function of osteoblasts?
Create and repair new bone, make osteoid, become osteocytes
What is the function of osteoclasts?
- Breakdown of old bone
- Large and found in bone pits
What is the function of osteocytes?
- Communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts
- Crucial for bone remodelling
Describe investigations for bone disease
DEXA - bone density scan
- ALP
- Bone resorption
- Bone formation
- Osteoclast enzymes
Describe P1NP - pro collagen type 1 propeptides
- Synthesised by osteoblasts
- Precursor molecule of type 1 collagen
- Serum concentration not affected by food intake
Describe osteoporosis
- Decreased bone mass - Deranged bone micro architecture
- FRAX calculation tool for fracture risk calculations
Describe Paget’s disease
- Rapid bone turnover and abnormal bone remodelling
- Males over 50
- Commonly affects pelvis, femur and lower lumbar vertebrae
Describe osteomalacia
- Lack of mineralisation of bone
- Widened osteoid seams with lack of mineralisation in adults
- Widened epiphysis and poor skeletal growth in children
- Insufficient calcium absorption from intestine and renal phosphate excretion
Describe bisphosphonates
Help to reduce bone thinning
- Mimic pyrophosphate structure
- Taken up by skeleton
Ingested by osteoclasts
Describe hypocalcaemia indicates
- EDTA contamination
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Inadequate dietary calcium intake
What can hypercalcaemia indicate (4)
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Malignancy
- Medications
- Vitamin D excess
Describe hypomagnesaemia
- Prevalent in hospitalised patients
- Associated with hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypophosphatemia and hypocalcaemia
- Due to inadequate intake, renal loss, GI loss, redistribution into cells
Describe fibrocystic disease
- Ages 20-45
- Benign hormonally mediated breast changes
- Mild epithelial hyperplasia
- Premenstrual painful breasts
Describe fibroadenoma
- Common 20-30 yrs
- Mobile painless well defined breast lesion
- Asymptomatic unless infarction occurs
Describe breast cancer
- Late menopausal women
- Arises anywhere in breast parenchyma or accessory breast tissue
- Linked to oestrogens as cause
- Palpable lump
Describe DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in situ)
Malignant clonal proliferation of cells within breast parenchyma
- Precursor of invasive carcinoma
What is the most and least common breast cancer?
Ductal - most common
Lobular - relatively common
Metaplastic and mucinous - rare
What markers are used for invasive tumours?
ER, PR and Her 2
Describe endometriosis
- Ectopic endometrial tissue
- 30-40 years
- Bleeding into tissues, fibrosis, NSAIDs
Describe endometrial polyps
- Sessile/polypoid endometrial overgrowths
- 40-50 years
- Risk increases with age
- asymptomatic, intramenstrual/postmenopausal bleeding, menorrhagia, dysmenorrhoea
Describe endometrial hyperplasia
- Hyperplasia of the endometrium
- > 40 years
- Situations of oestrogens and low progesterone
- Abnormal bleeding, IMB, PMB and amenorrhea
Describe endometrial cancer
- Adenocarcinomas
- Endometrioid - pre/post menopausal or serous - postmenopausal
- Most common cancer of female genital tract
- Features of advanced metastatic disease
Describe myometrial tumours
- Smooth muscle tumour of myometrium
- Commonest gynaecological condition
- benign monoclonal proliferation of smooth muscle cells
- Later reproductive life, irregular bleeding
Describe PCOS
- Endocrine disorder characterised by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, menstrual regularities, insulin resistance
- 6-10% of women reproductive age
- Hirsutusm - hair on chin
- Male pattern baldness
- Lack of ovulation
- Infertility
Describe Lynch syndrome in relation to women health
- Hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer
- Women with Lynch syndrome have a higher lifetime risk of endometrial cancer
Describe insulin resistance
Insulin receptors in theca cells respond to insulinaemia in T2DM - making them bigger, driving more LH receptors on the theca cells
Hypothalamus responds by producing more GnRh from pituitary
What are the two main intra-amniotic infections?
Chorioamnionitis - inflammation of umbilical cord, amniotic membranes/fluid/placenta
Puerperal Endometriosis - infection of the uterine lining
What are the main infections in children?
- Neonatal sepsis
- Respiratory tract infections - cold, tonsillitis, pneumonia, acute otitis media
- Meningitis
- UTI
- Rashes associated with infections - scarlet fever, impetigo etc
What are the different cells in myeloid and lymphoid lineages?
Myeloid: granulocytes, erythrocytes and platelets
Lymphoid: B and T lymphocytes