Clostridia Flashcards

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1
Q

Clostridium is strictly ____(aerobic/anaerobic) gram - ____(positive/negative) rod that produces ____.

A

anaerobic; positive; endospores

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2
Q

What is responsible for disease symptoms in clostridium patients?

A

proteinaceous toxins

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3
Q

what disease is caused by C. difficle?

A

pseudomembranous colitis

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4
Q

T/F. Clostridium is easy to culture.

A

False. “difficult clostridium”

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5
Q

Pseudomembranous colitis presents with yellow plaques containing ___ and ___ ___ in ulcers of colonic mucosa.

A

fibrin; cellular debris

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6
Q

What is the current leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea?

A

pseudomembranous colitis

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7
Q

How is pseudomembranous colitis transmitted?

A

endospore

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8
Q

T/F. C. difficile spores are resistant to antibiotics and when the spores vegetate the toxin production begins resulting in diarrhea.

A

True.

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9
Q

Does C. difficile invade the bowel wall?

A

no.

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10
Q

What two toxins does C. difficile produce?

A

enterotoxin (toxin A) and cytotoxin (toxin B)

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11
Q

Both toxins act in the ___ of host cells to glycosylate ___-binding proteins. This causes the cells to lose _____ structure and die.

A

cytoplasm; GTP; cytoskeletal

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12
Q

ELISA detection of which toxin is diagnostic?

A

Toxin A

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13
Q

where is C. perfringens found?

A

soil (except sahara desert) and intestinal tract

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14
Q

what are the four conditions that cause the spores of C. perfringens to germinate?

A
  1. anaerobic
  2. compromised blood supply
  3. calicum ions
  4. availability of peptides and amino acids
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15
Q

Toxins produced by C. perfringens cause ____ that can lead to ___ ___, a necrotizing, gas-forming process of muscle associated with system signs of shock.

A

cellulitis; gas gangrene

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16
Q

how many toxins does C. perfringens produce?

A

12

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17
Q

which toxin damages the cell membranes and cause gas gangrene?

A

alpha toxin (lecithinase)

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18
Q

How dose alpha-toxin (lecithinase) cause gas gangrene?

A

Phospholipase type C hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin that leads to cell death

19
Q

Reddish blue to black color appears when muscle tissue is destroyed and gas bubbles are present in a process called ____.

A

myonecrosis

20
Q

T/F. Shock and renal failure result with C. perfringens patients and if not treated there is 100% mortality rate.

A

True.

21
Q

How is C. perfringens treated?

A

surgical removal to muscle tissue, antibiotics, antitoxin (horse), high oxygen concentrations, prompt care to restore arterial blood supply.

22
Q

A patient has been experiencing diarrhea for 2 days after recently consuming contaminated meat. From your readings (lol) you suspect that they are suffering from the third most common type of food poisoning in the US. You remember that this organism produces an enterotoxin in the intestines. What is the cause and how would you treat this disease?

A

C. perfringens - food poisioning

Self-limiting and disappears in 1-3 days

23
Q

Where is C. botulinum found?

A

soil and marine sediments

24
Q

C. botulinum has ___-resistant spores (not ___) that often survive food processing.

A

heat; toxins

25
Q

what condition is needed for C. botulinum spores to germinate and grow?

A

anaerobic conditions (such as canned foods)

26
Q

What is the causative agent of botulinum?

A

intoxication of ingestion of pre-formed toxin (don’t need organism to be present)

27
Q

which clostridium is considered a bioweapon or bioterriorism threat?

A

botulinum

28
Q

How many neurotoxins does botulinum produce?

A

8 (A, B, E are the most common in humans)

29
Q

what is the mechanism of action for C. botulinum?

A

it prevents the release of acetylcholine neurotransmitter therefore interfering with neurotransmission at peripheral cholinergic synapses

30
Q

What is the role of zinc metalloprotease?

A

it cleaves protein involved in docking of neurotransmitter vesicles

31
Q

What symptoms are seen in patients with botulinum infection?

A

flaccid paralysis within 12 hours
cranial nerves affected 1st (double vision, difficulty swallowing)
respiratory failure as paralysis descends

32
Q

What are the three types of botulism?

A

food-born, wound (rare) and infant

33
Q

Which type of botulism is caused by ingestion of preformed toxin in foods that have not been canned or preserved properly?

A

food-borne botulism

34
Q

Which type of botulism occurs due to intestigal colonization of organisms in infants younger than 1 year, has a slow onset, hypotonic “floppy” state with a favorable outcome?

A

infant botulism

35
Q

what is the treatment for c. botulinum?

A

trivalent antitoxin (horses) administered ASAP

36
Q

T/F. Antibiotics are necessary for C. botulinum infecitons.

A

False. Organism need not be present. Ingestion of toxin causes the disease.

37
Q

which type of clostridium is found in soil, has spores resistant to environment and causes infection in traumatic wounds?

A

C. tetani

38
Q

T/F. Neonatal contamination of the umbilical cord at delivery can cause infection with C. tetani.

A

true.

39
Q

what is the major toxin in C. tetani?

A

tetanospasmin

40
Q

C. tetani attahces to ____ nerves near worund and transmit to ___ nerve nuclei. It inhibits ____ release leading to reflex spasms and spastic paralysis.

A

peripheral; cranial; GABA

41
Q

what condition occurs in 80% of patients infected with C. tetani?

A

Trismus “lockjaw” - tetanic spasm of masseter muscles that prevents opening of the mouth

42
Q

What other symptoms can be seen in patients with C. tetani?

A

rigiditiy of abdomen and stiffness of extremities
tonic seizures
respiratory failure from chest muscle paralysis

43
Q

T/F. There is no vaccine for C. Tetani.

A

False. C. tetani is completely preventable with DPT vaccine

44
Q

what is administered along with antitoxin to prevent further paralysis?

A

penicillin G