GI infections (bacterial) Flashcards
In developing nations, GI infections are major source of __ &__ where in developed nations they are a source of ___
morbidity and mortality
- especially children
just morbidity
Outbreaks of GI infections are usually due to what kind of contamination?
food and water contamination
in the developing world, how many cases of GI infections are there a year and how many deaths?
~ 1 billion cases / year resulting in 4-6 million deaths (12,600 / day)
What bacterial pathogen causing GI infection has a very long incubation period?
E-coli 0157
A very short incubation period for GI disease is indicative of..
preformed toxin having been ingested
In 1g of stool, there are approximately how many bacteria?
10^11
When are stool samples from a patient rejected?
- If they’ve been in the hospital more than 72 hours
2. If its not actually diarrhea
What are the 4 main types of selective media (plus one bonus one for Vibrio) that are used to culture stool samples?
XLD, Campylobacter agar, MacConkey agar, Sorbitol MacConkey agar
On request, TCBS agar for Vibrio
What is the morphology of Campylobacter sp. ?
Gram -ve, highly motile, spiral rod
What are the three species of Campylobacter? How can they be differentiated?
Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and C. fetus
C. jejuni is positive for a hippurate test
C. fetus is non-thermophilic unlike the other 2
- rarely causes disease
How does campylobacter rank in terms of causes of community acquired diarrheal diseases?
it’s by far #1
What conditions do Campylobacter require for growth?
Thermophilic (25 to 43º C) - except C. fetus
- allows you to differentiate between it and other bacteria that won’t grow at elevated temps
Microaerophilic
What additions to the agar need to be made to grow Campylobacter?
needs to contain blood or charcoal
-also usually has antibiotics
Whats the incubation period and infective dose for Campylobacter?
Incubation period: usually 2-4 days
Infective dose 10^3 – 10^4 cells
What are typical symptoms of a campylobacter infection?
Fever, myalgia, etc..
Diarrhea (can be bloody)
Abdominal pain
What is the prognosis of a Campylobacter infection?
usually self limiting and resolves in about a week
- people are not normally treated for this
What rare disease has Campylobacter been associated with?
Guillain-Barre syndrome
How many true species of Salmonella are there? what are they ?
just 3 really
S. enterica, S. bongori, S. subterranea
How many serovars of S. enterica are there?
about 2000
What is a special virulence adaptation of Salmonella?
Motile because of peritrichous flagella (H antigen).
What two serovars of S. enterica are non-motile?
S. gallinarum and S. pullorum
What is the Kauffmann-White antigenic scheme?
A way to classify Salmonella based on agglutination reactions with specificantisera against Salmonella antigens
What are 3 types of antigens found on Salmonella that are used for Kauffmann-White profiling?
O, H and Vi antigen
What is O antigen ?
characteristic sequence of repeatingpolysaccharide units in LPS.
What is the H antigen?
flagellar antigens (protein) and mayoccur in one of two phase variations.
What is the Vi antigen? where is it found?
Capsular polysaccharide found only in the Salmonella typhi serovar
What is the relationship between infective dose and incubation period for Salmonella gastroenteritis?
Incubation period is dose dependent - couple of days on average
When do symptoms usually appear for a Salmonella infection?
after about 48 to 72 hours
What are some symptoms of Salmonella gastroenteritis?
Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea Myalgia Fever Abdominal pain
What is the typical duration for an infection with Salmonella Gastroenteritis?
2-7 days
Are people treated for Salmonella?
Yes if they are under 6months or over 50 years
Why are certain people treated for Salmonella?
Under 6 months: don’t produce enough stomach acid
Over 50: stomach acid isn’t acidic enough
What is Salmonella Enteric Fever? What causes it?
Bacteremic illness caused by S. typhi in the blood
What is the incubation for Salmonella Enteric Fever?
10-14 days
What is the best specimen to collect to diagnose Salmonella Enteric fever?
Bone marrow sample
- can use blood and urine, almost never find it in stool by the time the patient is presenting with symptoms
What are some symptoms of Salmonella Enteric Fever? (6)
- myalgia and headache
- fever
- splenomegaly
- leukopenia
- abdominal pain
- Rose spots (macular rash on abdomen)
What are two possible sequelae of SEF?
intestinal haemorrhage and perforation