Diseases of Nervous System and Eyes Flashcards
Bacterial Meningitis
Major Symptoms
Sudden high fever and severe meningeal inflammation
Bacterial Meningitis Causative Organsism(s) x5
Neisseria meningitidis Streptococcus pneumoniae Haemophilus influenzae b Listeria monocytogenes Streptococcus agalactiae
Bacterial Meningitis
Neisseria meningitidis
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram -)
Bacterial Meningitis
Neisseria meningitidis
Mode of Transmission
Respiratory droplets
Bacterial Meningitis
Neisseria meningitidis
Key Associations
N. meningitidis known as the “meningococcus” purple spotted rash; Most common cause of meningitis in those <20 (collegee students in dorms 23x more likely)
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram +)
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Mode of Transmission
Respiratory droplets
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Key Associations
known as the “pneumococcus”; most common bacterial meningitis in adults
Bacterial Meningitis
Haemophilus influenzae b
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram -)
Bacterial Meningitis
Haemophilus influenzae b
Mode of Transmission
Respiratory droplets
Bacterial Meningitis
Haemophilus influenzae b
Key Associations
Commonly causes meningitis in children <18 months)
Bacterial Meningitis
Listeria monocytogenes
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram +)
Bacterial Meningitis
Listeria monocytogenes
Mode of Transmission
Contaminated food and drink
Bacterial Meningitis
Listeria monocytogenes
Key Associations
elderly, babies, pregnant women
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus agalactiae
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram +)
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus agalactiae
Mode of Transmission
At birth via passage through birth canal or by health care personnel
Bacterial Meningitis
Streptococcus agalactiae
Key Associations
Meningitis in premature babies and infants < 3 months
Hansen’s Disease
AKA
Leprosy
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)
Major Symptoms
- Tuberculoid leprosy: nonprogressive*, regions of lost sensation as a result of nerve damage;
- Lepromatous leprosy: progressive*, gradual loss of facial features, digits, other body structures
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)
Causative Organism
Mycobacterium leprae
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (acid-fast)
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)
Mode of Transmission
Person-to-person contact or break in the skin; can also be acquired from handling or consuming armadillos
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)
Key Associations
Strong immune system = tuberculoid leprosy;
Weaker immune system = lepromatous leprosy;
death is rare
Botulism
Major Symptoms
Intoxication; flaccid paralysis; Death can result from asphyxiation- cannot inhale
Botulism
Causative Organism
Clostridium botulinum
Botulism
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram +)
Botulism
Mode of Transmission
Contaminated food (esp home-canned); honey (infants); endospores enter wounds
Botulism
Key Associations
Extremely potent; Infant botulism most common form in US; “floppy baby syndrome”; Category A Bio-terrorist threat
Tetanus
AKA
Lockjaw
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
Major Symptoms
Characteristic severe muscular contraction; lockjaw; sweating, drooling, grouchiness, constant back spasms; death from asphyxiation- cannot exhale
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
Causative Organism
Clostridium tetani
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
Type of Pathogen
Bacteria (Gram +)
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
Mode of Transmission
Break in skin, mucus membranes; puncture wounds; umbilical stump
Tetanus (Lockjaw)
Key Associations
- Risus sardonicus* = smiling spasm
* Neonatal tetanus* mortality > 90% – infected umbilical stump
Viral meningitis
AKA
Aseptic meningitis
Viral meningitis (aseptic meningitis) Major Symptoms
Similar to bacterial meningitis, but milder
Viral meningitis (aseptic meningitis) Causative Organism
Enteroviruses: Poliovirus, Coxsackie virus, Echovirus (90%)
Viral meningitis (aseptic meningitis) Type of Pathogen
RNA Viruses
Viral meningitis (aseptic meningitis) Mode of Transmission
Respiratory droplets and feces
Viral meningitis (aseptic meningitis) Key Association
More common than bacterial and fungal meningitis
Poliomyelitis
Major Symptoms
Asymptomatic infections- almost 90% of cases;
Minor polio- nonspecific symptoms;
Nonparalytic polio- muscle spasms and back pain
Paralytic polio (1%)- produces paralysis (can result in bulbar polio)
Poliomyelitis
Causative Organism
Poliovirus
Poliomyelitis
Type of Pathogen
RNA Virus
Poliomyelitis
Mode of Transmission
Transmitted most often by drinking contaminated water (fecal-oral)
Poliomyelitis
Key Associations
aka infantile paralysis; Postpolio syndrome (crippling deterioration) common;
2 vaccines: OPV, IPV (no longer give OPV in US*; FDR dx with Polio
Rabies
Major Symptoms
Pain/itching at site of infection, fever, malaise, anorexia, CNS: hydrophobia, seizures, disorientation, hallucinations, paralysis
Rabies
Causative Organism
Rabies virus
Rabies
Type of Pathogen
RNA Virus
Rabies
Mode of Transmission
Transmission usually occurs via a bite; virus sometimes introduced through break in the skin or inhalation
Rabies
Key Association
Classical zoonotic disease of mammals
Bats- source of most cases of rabies in US; Too late to intervene by the time symptoms occur;
capsid described as “bullet shaped”
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Major Symptoms
Fever, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, seizures 3-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Causative Organism
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Virus
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Type of Pathogen
RNA Virus
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Mode of Transmission
Mosquito Vector
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Key Associations
Arbovirus; found mostly East of Mississippi River, more virulent, higher fatality than WEE virus,
BSL-3; aka sleeping sickness
(NOT the same as African Sleeping sickness)
Western Equine Encephalitis
Major Symptoms
Fever, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, seizures 3-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito
Western Equine Encephalitis
Causative Organism
Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) Virus
Western Equine Encephalitis
Type of Pathogen
RNA Virus
Western Equine Encephalitis
Mode of Transmission
Mosquito Vector
Western Equine Encephalitis
Key Associations
Arbovirus; found mostly West of Mississippi River; not as virulent or fatal as EEE virus
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Major Symptoms
Fever, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, seizures 3-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Causative Organism
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Type of Pathogen
RNA Virus
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Mode of Transmission
Mosquito vector
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Key Associations
Arbovirus; found primarily in Texas