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microbiology > Clostridium-Bacillus - Exam III > Flashcards

Clostridium-Bacillus - Exam III Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the gram stain and shape of clostridium:

A

Gram positive rods

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2
Q

A major virulence factor of clostridium is that:

A

they are endospore forming

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3
Q

Describe the oxygen requirements of clostridium and spores:

A

obligate anaerobes; spores are O2 resistant

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4
Q

Where can clostridium be encountered?

A

Environment (soil) and intestinal mucus

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5
Q

How can we detect spores of clostridium?

A

Endospores stain hot malachite green

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6
Q

Endospore staining is also used for:

A

aerobic endospore formers like gram + bacillus

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7
Q

Describe the virulence factors of clostridium:

A

spore formation

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8
Q

The spores of clostridium contribute to virulence because:

A
  1. resistant to destruction
  2. resistant to sterilization
  3. resistant to antibiotics
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9
Q

How might we remove clostridium spores from a medical device?

A

autoclave (heat under pressure- boiling is not effective)

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10
Q

When the disease causing component is solely due to the toxin, this is referred to as:

A

intoxication

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11
Q

The type of clostridium that gives rise to a severe form of food poisoning leading to paralysis

A

clostridium botulinum

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12
Q

In addition to food ingestion, clostridium botulinum may cause botulism by:

A

soil or fecal contamination

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13
Q

_____ is possible from soil or fecal contamination:

A

wound botulism

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14
Q

Explain how infant botulism occurs:

A

Because of lack of full development of intestinal flora, if clostridium botulinum is introduced to infant between 3-20 weeks, it has the capability of rapid overgrowth

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15
Q

Describe the effects of infant botulism:

A

muscle weakness; rarely paralysis

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16
Q

How does infant botulism resolve?

A

normally resolves as intestinal flora develops

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17
Q

Describe the virulence factors of clostridium botulinum:

A

Botulinum neurotoxin (AB-exotoxin) blocks acetylcholine release

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18
Q

What does botulinum neurotoxin (AB-exotoxin) block and what does this cause?

A

acetylcholine; flaccid muscles–> paralysis

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19
Q

Because clostridium botulinum does not _____, it acts through ____.

A

invade tissues; toxins

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20
Q

The spores of clostridium botulinum are ____, while the botulinum toxin is ____.

A

heat-stable; heat-labile

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21
Q

How long does anti-toxin neutralization to the botulinum toxin take to work?

A

weeks to months

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22
Q

The form of clostridium that is typically caused by dirty, puncture wounds (knife, bullet, tattoo) that are typical opportunities for the anaerobic growth of this bacteria:

A

Clostridium tetani

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23
Q

Describe the oxygen requirements for clostridium tetani:

A

anaerobic

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24
Q

Bacterial growth of clostridium tetani remains ___ but the tetanus toxin ___.

A

localized; spreads

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25
Q

What toxin is responsible for the virulence of clostridium tetani:

A

tetanospasmin

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26
Q

Describe tetanospasmin:

A

tetanus AB-exotoxin neurotoxin; plasmid-encoded

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27
Q

Describe the mechanism of action of tetanospasmin:

A

blocks GABA and glycine release; leads to loss of inhibitory input to motor neuron excitation leading to spastic paralysis

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28
Q

In clostridium tetani, the spastic paralysis is due to:

A

uncontrolled muscle contraction from tetanospasmin

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29
Q

The effects of tetanospasmin may be:

A

localized and one-sided (on opposite side of infection)

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30
Q

Describe the effects of anti-toxin on tetanospasmin:

A

usually too late for anti-toxin treatment

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31
Q

clostridium tetani does not ____ so it acts through ____.

A

invade tissue; toxins

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32
Q

A dramatically deadly disease characterized by the inability of muscle relaxation:

A

tetanus

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33
Q

Tetanus toxin prevents:

A

muscle relaxation

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34
Q

Infection with tetanus systemically can cause:

A
  1. cardiac arrhythmias
  2. blood pressure swings
  3. dehydration
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35
Q

A characteristic symptom of tetanus:

36
Q

Tetanus effects can be ___ or ___.

A

general or localized

37
Q

Describe tetanus vaccination of pregnant women:

A

Passive immunization (IgG) of pregnant women can prevent neonatal tetanus death by umbilical infection (250,000/year worldwide)

38
Q

The ONLY clostridium species with tissue invasion:

A

Clostridium perfringens

39
Q

Organisms that often cause problems when you have an infection from a dirty wound, as these bacteria can be deposited deep down into a relatively anaerobic environment that allows them to begin growing and invading the tissue:

A

clostridium perfringens

40
Q

The tissue invasion seen with clostridium perfringens is furthered by:

A

virulence factors that allow the bacteria to lyse cells and destroy tissue integrity

41
Q

List the virulence factors associated with clostridium perfringens:

A
  1. alpha-toxin
  2. theta-toxin
  3. collagenase & hyaluronidase
42
Q

Describe the mechanism of action of the alpha-toxin in clostridium perfringens:

A

hemolytic property resulting in membrane destruction

43
Q

Describe the mechanism of action of the theta-toxin in clostridium perfringens:

A

cytolytic toxin that results in cell killing

44
Q

Describe the mechanism of action of the collagenase and hyaluronidase in clostridium perfringens:

A

facilitates tissue invasion from the edges of necrotizing tissues

45
Q

Which virulence factor of clostridium perfringens is responsible for its ability to invade tissue:

A

collagenase & hyaluronidase

46
Q

Describe the mechanism of reaction seen in clostridium perfringens:

A

anaerobic fermentation of amino acids leads to increase gas production (H2 and CO2) leading to gas gangrene

47
Q

The anaerobic fermentation of amino acids seen in clostridium perfringens infections results in:

A

gas gangrene

48
Q

What childbirth complication is seen with clostridium perfringens?

A

Puerperal “childbed” fever: uterine gangrene

49
Q

Describe the treatment against clostridium perfringenes:

A

No vaccination possible; antibody against alpha toxin but fails to stop gas gangrene – typically amputation is best option if gangrene occurs

50
Q

List the three types of clostridium that do NOT invade tissues:

A
  1. C-diff
  2. Botulism
  3. Tetanus
51
Q

A super infection resulting from broad spectrum antibiotics that kill much of the other intestinal bacterial normal flora resulting in resistant species of this harmful bacteria:

A

clostridium difficile

52
Q

Antibiotic-associated psudomembraneous colitis is caused by:

A

clostridium difficile

53
Q

C-diff may be observed after:

A

antimicrobial chemotherapy

54
Q

One of the leading causes of hospital acquired diarrhea:

A

Clostridium difficile

55
Q

Results from broad spectrum antibiotics that kill much of the other normal intestinal bacterial flora, giving resistant species like toxin-producing C. difficile a chance to take over:

A

Antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis

56
Q

List the virulence factors of clostridium difficile:

A

Toxin A & Toxin B

57
Q

Describe the effects of toxin A in C. diff:

A

inhibits intestinal tight-junctions leading to fluid leak

58
Q

Describe the effects of toxin B in C. diff:

A

A cytotoxin that functions in actin depolymerization and rounding of epithelial cells leading to fluid leak

59
Q

Both toxin A and toxin B in C. diff cause fluid leak ultimately causing:

60
Q

CDC 2013 report states that ____ is a major thereat for antibiotic resistance in the U.S.

61
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Treatment: botulinum antitoxin

A

c. botulinum

62
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Treatment: toxoid vaccination

63
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Treatment: anti-tetanus serum (passive immunity)

64
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Treatment: surgery intervention & amputation

A

C. Perfringens

65
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Epidemiology: environment (soil, water, sewage), & GI tract in animals and humans:

A

C. Botulinum & C. Tetani & C. Perfringens

66
Q

What clostridium bacteria is this describing?

Epidemiology: Colonized intestines, genital tract, hospital environments, prior antibiotics

A

C. Difficile

67
Q

Describe the shape and gram stain of bacillus:

A

Gram positive; rods

68
Q

B. anthracis gives rise to ____ and is considered a ___ infection

A

woolsorter’s disease; zoonotic infection

69
Q

Describe the oxygen requirements of B. anthracis:

A

facultative anaerobe

70
Q

List the virulence factors of B. Anthracis:

A

anthrax toxins (edema factor & lethal factor) & poly-glutamic acid capsule

71
Q

Describe the difference between the anthrax toxins edema factor and lethal factor:

A

differences lie in the A component (the B component is identical)

72
Q

Describe the A component of edema factor (EF) found in bacillus anthracis:

A

EF is an adenylate cyclase that DIRECTLY leads to increased cAMP levels and results in edema

73
Q

Describe the A component of lethal factor (LF) found in bacillus anthracis:

A

LF is a metallo-protease that targets MAP kinase (an important signaling molecule) ultimately leading to cell death

74
Q

Describe the capsule of B. antrhacis:

A

Its a poly-glutamic acid capsule that functions to inhibit phagocytosis

75
Q

Form of anthrax in which spores are uptaken by the lungs and then enter lung phagocytes; latency of 2 months or more may occur:

A

inhalation anthrax

76
Q

Following the entry into lung phagocytes in inhalation anthrax where do the spores travel to?

A

lymph nodes

77
Q

In anthrax infections if the spores travel to lymph nodes (from the lungs), the spores germinate causing phagocyte death and ultimately leading to:

A

pneumonial and meningitis type symptoms

78
Q

In an anthrax infection if spores germinate and produces toxins that enter the bloodstream, this can trigger:

A

macrophage TNF-alpha leading to toxic shock death in 1-2 days

79
Q

In what situation may an anthrax infection lead to toxic shock and death:

A

If toxins enter the bloodstream

80
Q

In what situation may an anthrax infection lead to symptoms of pneumonia and meningitis:

A

If toxins and spores spread to lymph nodes

81
Q

Type of anthrax infection that leads to ulcers in the mouth and esophagus, edema and sepsis:

A

Gastrointestinal antrhax

82
Q

In what case would gastrointestinal anthrax become nearly 100% lethal:

A

in lower intestines

83
Q

Describe skin anthrax infections:

A

redness and edema with rupturing vesicles

84
Q

What is the lethality of skin anthrax?

85
Q

List the epidemiology of bacillus anthracis:

A
  1. animal workers
  2. microbiological accidents
  3. bioterrorism
  4. contaminated meat

microbiology (24 decks)

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