ICS Microbiology Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
Organism that causes or is capable of causing disease
What is a commensal?
Organsim which colonises the host but causes no disease in normal circumstances
What is an opportunistic pathogen?
Microbe that only causes disease if host defences are compromised
What is virulence?
The degree to which a given organism is pathogenic/ any strategy to achieve this
What is asymptomatic carriage?
When a pathogen is carried harmlessly at a tissue site where it causes no disease
What are the shape of bacilli?
Rods
What are the shape of cocci?
Round, circular
What are diplococci?
Pairs of cocci
What are the difference between gram positive and gram negative bacteria?
Gram positive= Single membrane, large amount of peptidoglycan on outer surface. do not have endotoxin
Gram negative= Double membrane, smaller amount of peptidoglycan between membranes, The outer membrane has lipopolysaccharide which the immune system can react to (Endotoxic shock)
How can you differentiate between gram positive and gram negative bacteria?
Gram stain
Apply a primary stain such as crystal violet, add iodine, decolourise and stain with counterstain
Gram positive= Purple
Gram negative= Red/pink
What does gram stain differentiate?
Gram positive and gram negative
Gram positive= Purple
Gram negative= Red/pink
What does ziehl-neelsen stain differentiate?
Mycobacteria (rods) that don’t take up gram stain
e.g. M. TB, M. Leprae, M. Ulcerans
Acid-fast bacilli: Red
Non acid-fast bacilli: Blue
How do you differentiate acid-fast bacilli from non acid-fast bacilli?
Ziehl-Neelsen stain for mycobacteria
Acid-fast bacilli: Red
Non acid-fast bacilli: Blue
Name an anaerobic gram negative cocci
Viellonella
Name an aerobic gram negative cocci
Neisseria
Name a gram positive aerobic cocci
Strep or staph
Name a gram positive anaerobiccocci
Peptostreptococcus
Name a gram positive aerobic bacilli
Corynebacterium, listeria, or bacillu
Name a gram positive anaerobic bacilli
Clostridium or propionibacteria
Name a gram negative aerobic bacilli
Vibrio, Escherichia, salmonella, shigella, citrobacter, haemophillius, Helicobacter, campylobacter, pseudomonas
Name a gram negative anaerobic bacilli
Bacteroides
How can you differentiate between staphylococci and streptococci?
Catalase test
- Add h2o2 and look for bubbling
- Staph are catalase positive
- Strep are catalase negative
How can you differentiate between staph. Aureus and other staph?
Coagulase test
- Staph. aureus= Coagulase positive (clumping)
- Other staph.= Coagulase negative (no clumping)
How can you differentiate salmonella and shigella?
XLD Agar
- Salmonella- Red/ Pink colonies with some black spots
- Shigella- Red/ Pink colonies
How can you differentiate lactose fermenting bacteria from non lactose fermenting bacteria?
MacConkey Agar
- Lactose fermenting= Red/pink
- Non-lactose fermenting= White/transparent
What does MacConkey agar differentiate?
Lactose fermenting from non-lactose fermenting bacteria
Only grows gram-negative bacteria
Name a lactose fermenting enterobacteria
E. coli,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Name some non-lactose fermenting enterobacteria
Salmonella spp., shigella spp.
What is the optimum temperature of a bacteria?
-80 - 80 degrees (or up to 120 for spores)
What is the optimum pH for bacteria?
4-9
How do bacteria divide?
Binary Fission
What are endotoxins?
Component of the outer membrane of gram negative bacteria- lipopolysaccharide
Only produced by bacteria, mainly gram neg bacteria
What are exotoxins?
Secreted from gram positive and gram negative bacteria- Proteins
Produced by mainly gram positive bacteria
Can endotoxins or exotoxins be converted to toxoids?
Exotoxins
What happens in transcription?
RNA polymerase acts on the bacterial chromosome to form mRNA
What genetic variations can occur in bacterial genetics?
Mutations can occur on the bacterial chromosome: Base substitution, deletion, insertion. Mutations can cause antibiotics to be ineffective.
What are plasmids?
small circular pieces of DNA. Many plasmids carry antibiotic resistance genes.
What is transformation?
The genetic alteration of a bacterial cell via the uptake of an exogenous substance e.g. Via plasmid
What is transduction?
The process by which foreign DNA is introduced into a bacteria via vector or virus
What is conjugation?
The transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells by direct cell-cell contact
How do you perform a haemolysis test?
Put streptococcal samples on the blood agar
Alpha haemolysis= An indistinct zone of partial destruction of red blood cells, often accompanied by a greeenish discolouration
beta haemolysis= A clear colourless zone around the colonies (complete lysis)
Gamma haemolysis= No change
Which bacterias are beta haemolytic?
Strep. Pyogenes, Strep. Aureus
Which bacterias are alpha haemolytic?
Strep pneumonia, strep viridans, oral strep
Which bacterias are gamma haemolytic?
Strep. Bovis
How can you differentiate between strep?
Haemolytic test
Optochin test
What does the optochin test do?
Differentiate between different streptococcus
What does the oxidase test do?
Test if the microorganism contains a cytochrome oxidase
Oxidase postive= Blue= Bacteria is aerobic
Oxidase negative= No colour change= Bacteria may be aerobic or anaerobic
What is coagulase?
An enzyme produced by bacteria that clots blood plasma. Fibrin clot formation around bacteria may protect from phagocytosis.
Do strep. or staph. appear as clusters?
Staph. appears as clusters
Name a staph. Aureus associated condition
Would infections, abscesses, osteomyelitis, scalded skin syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, food poisoning
What virulence factors are produced by staph. aureus?
Pore-forming toxins, Proteases
How is staph. Aureus infection normally treated?
flucloxacillin
What type of bacteria appears as clusters of cocci?
Staphylococcus
What type of bacteria appears as chains of cocci?
Streptococcus
What is lancefield grouping?
A method of differentiating beta haemolytic bacteria
- An antiserum is added to a suspension of each group= clumping indicated recognition
What are some associated conditions to staph. Aureus?
Wound infections, abscesses, Osteomyelitis, scalded skin syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, food poisoning
How can staph. Aureus be treated?
Flucloxacillin
What does MRSA stand for?
Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus
What are some associated conditions to staph. epidermis?
Opportunistic infections in prosthetic limbs and catheters
Name an associated condition to staph. Saprophyticus
Acute cystitis
How can streptococcus be differentiated?
Haemolysis
Lancefield typing
Biochemical properties
What infections are caused by strep. pyogenes?
Wound infections such as cellulitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, otitis media, scarlet fever
What infections are caused by strep. Pneumoniae?
Pneumonia, Otitis media, sinusitis, meningitis
Name some pre-disposing factors for strep. pneumoniae infection
Impaired mucous trapping
Hypogammaglobinaemia
Aslenia
Very young
What is the clinical presentation of diptheria
Thin greyish film on tonsils High temp Nausea Sore throat Headache Difficulty swallowing
What infection does corynebacterium diptheriae cause?
Diptheria
What is lipopolysaccharide?
An endotoxin
Forms the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria
What are the three major components of lipopolysaccharides?
Lipid A- The toxic portion of LPS
Core (R) Antigen- Short chain of sugars, some are unique to the LPS
Somatic (O) antigen- A highly antigenic repeating chain of oligosaccharides
What is H antigen?
Flagellum
What are the major groups of enterobacteria?
E coli
Shigella
Salmonella
Which enterobacterias are motile?
E coli
Salmonella
(Shigella is not)
How is E coli differentiated from shigella and salmonella?
E coli uses lactose so will show positive on MacConkey-Lactose agar
What infections are caused by pathogenic E coli strains?
Wound infections UTIs Gastroenteritis Travellers diarrhoea Bacteraemia Meningitis
What infection does shigella infection cause
Damage to large intestinal mucosa, causing acute infection of the large intestine, severe bloody diarrhoea and frequent passage of stools (Normally self limiting)
How does shigella infection spread?
Person-to-person or via contaminated water or food
What is shiga toxin?
A toxin that shigella releases
Disrupts protein synthesis by blocking specific bond formation, resulting in necrosis
This results in kidney failure
Briefly describe gastroenteritis
- Often a salmonella infection
- Frequent cause of food poisoning from milk/ poultry
- Neutrophil-induced tissue injury due to inflammatory response
- Fluid and electrolyte loss resulting in diarrhoea
- Inflammation/necrosis of gut mucosa
Briefly describe enteric fever
- Typhoid
- Caused by salmonella
- Spread faecal-oral
- Fever, headache, dry cough, splenomegaly, diarrhoea
- Bacteria may migrate into cell membranes, and spread systemically via lymph nodes
- Can result in septicaemia and massive fever
Briefly describe Cholera
- Caused by vibrio cholerae
- Transmitted via faecal-oral route
- Results in voluminous watery stools
- Severe dehydration and death
- Can be 80% treated with oral rehydration
What infections could be caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa?
UTIs, Keratitis
Systemic infection in immunocompromised
How can you grow haemophilius influenzae?
Chocolate agar (It is fastidious)
What are the two major neisseria bacterias?
N. Meningitidis, N. Gonorrhoeae
What infection is caused by bordetella pertussis?
Whooping cough
- Highly contageous
- Non specific flu-like symptoms followed by paroxymal coughing
What bacteria is the most common cause of food poisioning?
Campylobacter
Salmonella is second most common
What diseases can be caused by H. pylori?
Gastritis
Peptic ulcer disease
Gastric adenocarcinoma
What bacteria is the most common cause of STD?
Chlamydia trachomatis
What are the two developmental stages of chlamydia?
Elementary bodys (round, infectious), and reticulate bodies (pleomorphic and non-infectious, but replicate)
List some gram negative bacterias that cause STD
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
Chlamydia trachomatis
Treponema Pallidum (Syphilis)
List some gram negative bacterias that cause UTIs
Some E. coli serotypes
Proteus mirabilis
Klebsiella pneumoniae
List some gram negative bacterias that can cause meningitis
N. Meningitidis
Some E.coli serotypes
Haemophilius influenzae
List some gram negative bacterias that can cause sepsis
N. Meningitidis
E.coli and K. Pneumoniae
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
List some gram negative bacterias that can cause GI infection
Vibro Cholerae (Cholera) Shigella dysenteriae (Dysentry) H. Pylori ( Gastritis, peptic ulcers) S.enterica (food poisoning) Campylobacter Jejuni (Food poisoning)
Why are fungal infections rare in healthy hosts?
They can’t grow at 37 degrees and can’t evade the adaptive/innate immune response
Name a fungal skin infection
Athletes foot
Ring worm
List some invasive fungal diseases
Candidasis
Aspergillus
Pneumocystitis Pneumonoa
Cryptococcosis
What is 1,3 B-D Glucan?
The cell wall component of many fungal cell walls, which is released into serum during invasive infection
Can be detected to see fungal infections
What is onychomycosis?
Very common fungal infection of the nail
What is pneumocystis pneumonia?
Fungal infection of the lungs
What does flucytosine target?
Targets the DNA/RNA synthesis of fungi
What is voriconazole used for?
Moulds
What things can we get samples of?
Skin swab of infected area
Secretions= Faeces, urine, mucous etc
Blood
List the different types of agar
Blood agar Chocolate agar CLED agar MacConkey agar Gonococcus agar XLD agar Sabouraud's agar
What is chocolate agar?
Contains blood agar heated to 80 degrees for 5 minutes to release some nutrients into the agar and make it easier to grow certain organisms that do not grow easily
What is blood agar?
Contains sheep/horse blood and provides a good medium for growing many different types of bacteria
What is CLED agar?
Cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient agar is a relatively non-inhibitory growth medium often used to differentiate microorganisms in urine. It allows classification of lactose-fermenting (yellow) and non-lactose fermenting (blue) gram negative bacilli,
What is MacConkey Agar?
MacConkey agar is agar designed to grow gram negative bacilli and differentiate them. It grows lactose fermentors pink, and non-lactose fermentors yellow/colourless
What is gonococcus agar?
Agar that contains growth factors to promote the growth of neisseria gonnhorea and other neisseria spp.
What is XLD agar?
Xylose lysine deoxycholate agar is a very selective growth medium used to isolate salmonella spp., and shigella spp. It has a pH indicator. Shigella are red and salmonella are red with black centres.
What is Sabouraud’s agar?
User to culture fungi. Inhibition of bacteria is aided by the presence of antibiotics in the agar.
How does staph aureus appear in blood agar?
It appears creamy/yellow in blood agar
What type of infection are A, C and G type antigen normally?
Tonsillitis and skin infections
Type A is normally strep. pyogenes.
What type of infection are B type antigen normally?
Sepsis and meningitis
Type B is normally strep Agalactiae
What areas of the body are sterile?
Blood Cerebrospinal fluid Pleural fluid Peritoneal cavity Joints Urinary tract Lower resp tract
What type of bacterias can use the oxidase test?
Non-lactose fermentors
Gram negative bacilli
What disease does m. tuberculosis form?
Tuberculosis
List some mycobacteria of medical importance
M. Tuberculosis M. Leprae M. Avum complex M. Kansasii M. Marinum M. Ulcerans
What are mycobacteria?
Aerobic, non-spore forming, non-motile bacillus, Slow growing
Have resistance to gram stain (should be gram positive) , so need to be stained with acid and alcohol (Acid fast)
What is the issue with mycobacteria being slow growing?
It is difficult for antibiotics to target their division phase
It is also hard to culture so harder to diagnose
What are some key cell wall components of mycobacteria?
Mycololic acids and liporabinomannan- make up a strong waxy cell wall that is hard for the immune system to target
Why are mycobacteria hard to diagnose and treat?
They are slow growing = take weeks to diagnose
What are Koch’s postulates?
Bacteria should be found in all people with disease
Bacteria should be isolated from the infected lesions in people with the disease
A pure culture inoculated into a susceptible person should produce symptoms of the disease
The same bacteria should be isolated from the potentially infected individual
How can you identify mycobacteria?
Ziehl-neelson stain (appears red/pink)