GU Infections Flashcards
How to epithelial cells in the female GU tract serve as a defense mechanism?
- Provide a mechanical barrier
- Produce and secrete antimicrobial molecules
- Transport IgA
- Process and present antigen
- Communicate with underlying immune cells
How does the normal microbial flora of the female GU tract act as a defense mechanism?
Lactobacillus lowers the vaginal pH to 4.2-5.0
What are the defense mechanisms of the male GU tract?
- Epithelial cells
- Normal flora
- Urethral length
- Urine flow
- Circumcision (possibly)
Evaluation, treatment, and counseling should be provided for sex partners of persons who are infected with an STI within the previous _____ days
Evaluation, treatment, and counseling should be provided for sex partners of persons who are infected with an STI within the previous **60 **days
What are some prevention methods for STI transmission?
- Abstinence
- Reduction of number of sex partners
- Pre-exposure vaccines
- Condoms
What are special populations to be considered in STI evaluation?
- Pregnant women
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons in correction facilities
- Men who have sex with men
- Women who have sex with women
What are the 5 Ps of a sexual history?
- Partners
- Prevention of Pregnancy
- Protection from STIs
- Practices
- Past history of STIs
What are the two forms of Chlamydia trachomatis?
What is the replication potential for each?
- Elementary body - Metabolically inactive; cannot replicate
- Initial body/Reticulate bodies - Intracellular inclusions that can divide
Which form of chlamydia is infectious? What types of cells does it infect?
Elementary bodies: infects non ciliated epithelial cells of the mucosa
Chlamydia trachomatis is hard to see on gram stain because it lacks…(2)
Peptidoglycan layer and muramic acid
What is the most common bacterial STD in the US?
What else can it cause besides GU infection?
Chlamydia trachomatis
Can also cause pneumonia and conjunctivitis
How is Chlamydia treated?
Azithromycin and Doxycycline
(Abx that target peptidoglycan wall are not effective)
How is Trichomonas Vaginalis highly motile?
Four flagella and undulating membrane (fin-like extension of membrane)
How is Trichomonas vaginalis diagnosed?
What is the treatment?
Diagnosed by direct microscopic examination of discharge
Metronidazole is the treatment of choice
What is the smallest free living bacteria?
Why are gram stain and ß-antibiotics useless against it?
Ureaplasma urealyticum
Has no cell walls
What is the rate of growth of Ureaplasma urealyticum?
How does it produce its “diagnostic” smell?
Very slow rate of growth - takes a long time to detect
Produces urease to break down urine into ammonia
How is Ureaplasma Urealyticum diagnosed?
How is it treated?
Diagnosed with culture (takes a long time) or PCR
Treatment of choice is erythromycin or doxycycline
Neisseria gonorrhea is a gram ______ and catalse ______ diplococci
Neisseria gonorrhea is a gram **negative **and catalse **positive **diplococci
What are the virulence factors for Neisseria gonorrhea?
How does the bacteria prevent lasting immunity?
- Virulence factors: pili, porins, and opaque proteins (Opa)
- Bacteria can switch surface antigens to prevent lasting immunity – reinfection is always possible (no vaccine)
How is Neisseria gonorrhea diagnosed?
How is it treated?
Culture was routine (chocoalte agar or Thayer Martin agar) but now PCR is routinely used
Ceftriaxone is treatment of choice (many strains are highly resistant to penicillin)
What diseases are associated with Neisseria gonorrhea in…
- Males:
- Females:
- Both sexes:
- Males: urethritis with painful urination and purulent discharge, epididymitis, prostatitis, urethral strictures
- Females: urethritis, endocervicitis, can progress to PID
- Both sexes: Bacteremia and Septic Arthritis
Chlamydia replicates ________ and Neisseria gonorrhea replicates _________
Chlamydia replicates **Intracellularly **and Neisseria gonorrhea replicates Extracellularly