Clostridia (Bailey/Dickens)

Question 1

What are some characteristics of clostridium?

Answer 1

1. Strictly anaerobic
2. Gram-positive
3. Form ENDOSPORES

Question 2

How do clostridium cause disease?

Answer 2

Produce Toxins

Question 3

What are some major diseases associated with clostridium?

Answer 3

1. Botulism

2. Tetanus

Question 4

What do spores allow for the bacteria to do?

Answer 4

Resist environmental changes

Question 5

What are the two toxins caused by C. Diff?

Answer 5

Toxin A: Enterotoxin - fluid production and damage to mucosa

Toxin B: Cytotoxin - rounding of tissue-culture cells

Question 6

What bacteria is found in soil and is a major pathogen of traumatic wounds and war wounds?

Answer 6

C. Perf

Question 7

What toxin of C. Perf results in gangrene?

Answer 7

Alpha-toxin

Question 8

How is c. Perf treated?

Answer 8

Surgical removal of infected muscle

Question 9

What is the most common disease caused by c. Perf?

Answer 9

Food poisoning

*Enterotoxin

Question 10

What bacteria is associated with canning due to anaerobic conditions?

Answer 10

C. Botulinum

Question 11

How does c. Botulinum toxins cause disease?

Answer 11

Prevents acetylcholine release causing paralysis starting at cranial nerves and descending. Eventually die of resp failure

Question 12

Why would you not administer antibiotics to treat c. Botulinum?

Answer 12

Its the spores and their toxins, NOT the bacteria

Question 13

What is the major toxin of c. Tetani?

Answer 13

Tetanospasmin: two subunits together

Question 14

How does tetanospasmin cause disease?

Answer 14

Effects peripheral neurons which send toxin to cranial nerves.

Then inhibits production of GABA

Results in spasms

Question 15

What is the difference between the results of botulinum toxin and tetani toxin?

Answer 15

Botulinum: flaccid paralysis (double vision, hard to swallow)

Tetani: spastic paralysis (lockjaw, stiffness)