Gastro-intestinal system Flashcards
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is gastroenteritis?
Syndrome characterised by GI-symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is dysentery?
Abnormal inflammation of GI-tract: often blood and pus in faeces and pain, fever, abdominal cramps- often disease of large intestine
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is enterocolitis?
Inflammation of mucosa of small and large intestine
Pathogens of the GI tract: What are the defences present in the mouth?
Flow of liquids, saliva (statherins, defensins), lysozyme, normal bacterial flora
Pathogens of the GI tract: What are the defences in the oesophagus?
Flow of liquids, peristalsis
Pathogens of the GI tract: What are the defences in the stomach?
Acidic pH
Pathogens of the GI tract:What are the defences in the small intestine?
flow of gut contents peristalsis mucus bile secretary IgA ymphoid tissue (Peter's patches) shedding and replacement of epithelium normal flora
Pathogens of the GI tract: What are the defences in the large intestine?
Normal flora
peristalsis
shedding and replication of epithelium
mucus
Pathogens of the GI tract: What two bacterium are common in causing food poisoning?
Staphylococcus aureus
Clostridium botulinum
Bacillus cereus - gram positive rod
Pathogens of the GI tract: how does helicobacter pylori resist stomach acid?
Produces Urease - produces ammonia cloud (neutralises acid) around organism that allows organism to survive and replicate
Protective cloud during transit to gastric mucin layer
can therefore inhabit gastric mucosa
bleeding/ulcers
Ammonia = basis of breath test
Pathogens of the GI tract: How is helicobacter pylori treated?
proton-pump inhibitor PLUS metronidazole/ amoxicillin and Clarithromycin
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is a major cause of diarrhoea?
E coli - gram neg rod
Pathogens of the GI tract: How is E coli detected in the lab?
macConkey agar
lactose fermentation - used for colour change when E coli grows
PCR and antigen tests used for serotypes
Pathogens of the GI tract: How does EPEC form attachments?
Bundle- forming pilli
needle injects toxins into host cell
sits on pedestal
has translocated intimin receptor (intimin mediates attachment to epithelial cells)
leads to watery diarrhoea
Pathogens of the GI tract: How does ETEC form attachments and what toxins does it produces?
via adhesive pilli
forms pedestals
Produce Heat Stable (ST) and Labile (LT) enterotoxins (cholera like) that cause diarrhoea
Produce Vero-toxin (Also called Shigella-like toxin)- STx
STx (verotoxin) is a potent diarrhoeal toxin (and has receptor on kidney cells ) acts via damaging cells directly, can damage blood vessels in kidneys
Pathogens of the GI tract: What organism can cause bacillary dysentry?
Shigella
low infectious dose - 10-100 cells needed
non lactose fermenters
common in poorer countries
spread faecal- orally
Pathogens of the GI tract: how is salmonella spread?
Spread from food- mainly chicken and dairy products, but also person to person
Pathogens of the GI tract: What cells does salmonella spread via?
Invade macrophages then to epithelium
doesn’t cause lactose fermentation
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is salmonella associated with?
S. Typhi - typhoid fever
Pathogens of the GI tract: Where does S. typhi reside?
Gall bladder
Pathogens of the GI tract: how is s.typhi transferred?
oral- faecal route during food prep
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is the most common cause of food poisoning?
Campylobacter - gram neg micro-aeophiles
Campylobacter jejuni most common
Acquired by ingestion of contaminated food
Pathogens of the GI tract: what type of bacterium is cholera?
motile Gram-negative comma-shaped bacterium
Pathogens of the GI tract:What does colonisation of cholera of the SI depend on?
Motility (polar flagella)
production of mucinase
attachment to specific receptors
Pathogens of the GI tract: What effect does the cholera toxin have?
disruption of ADP-ribosylation of G-protein signalling pathways causes increased secretion of Chloride ions
This prevents influx of Sodium ions into cells
Results in rapid loss of water from tissue- massive diarrhoea
Pathogens of the GI tract: What is the treatment for cholera?
Rapid fluid and electolyte replacement required or dehydration and death result
Pathogens of the GI tract: What are the symptoms of cholera?
absent tears very dry mouth and tongue lethargic/ unconscious sunken and dry eyes drinks poorly or not able to drink skin pinch goes back slowly
Pathogens of the GI tract: how can cholera be prevented?
Vaccines
best - improvement of water system and sanitation