GI Tract Pathogens Flashcards
What causes food poisoning?
Bacterial toxins without colonisation of the host
Onset after a few of hours
Give three pathogens that cause food poisoning
- C. botulinum (toxin)
- S. aureus (superantigen)
- C. perfringens (toxin and superantigen)
Where does C. botulinum grow?
Obligate anaerobes
Home-canned foods
Where does S. aureus grow?
Custard, processed meats
Where does C. perfringens grow?
Spores survive in pre-heated foods
Where do the genes for cholera toxin come from?
Bacteriophage integrated into bacterial chromosome
Co-regulated with other adhesin and other genes by HAP
How is cholera spread?
Faeco-oral route
Contaminated water
What is the structure of the cholera toxin?
AB5
How does cholera toxin cause disease?
B binds to GM1-ganglioside and taken up by receptor-mediated endocytosis
Retrograde transport to endoplasmic reticulum
ADP-ribosylates Gs protein, permanently activating it
Uncontrolled high levels of cAMP
Disturbs activity of CFTR Na+/Cl- pumps
Leads to ion imbalance, massive water loss and watery diarrhoea
Where does S. typhi replicate?
In macrophages
How is S. typhi spread?
Systemically through bloodstream to liver and spleen etc
What causes the symptoms of typhoid fever?
- Typhoid toxin
2. Respond to LPS lipid A
How is bacteria shed?
In bile
Returns to intestine and environment
Spread by faeco-oral route
What causes traveller’s diarrhoea?
Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)
What is the ETEC zoonosis?
Piglet