Immunology - infections in the immunocompromised host Flashcards
What’s part of the innate defence system?
1) skin
2) complement
3) mucous membranes
4) Inteferons
5) Gut flora
What’s part of the innate defence system?
1) skin
2) complement
3) mucous membranes
4) Inteferons
5) Gut flora
Explain how the can be a qualitative defect in the chemotaxis of neutrophils
Qualitative (lose function) e.g. chemotaxis can be defective due to
- inadequate signalling
- abnormality in receptors
- abnormal neutrophil movement
Explain how there can be a qualitative defect in the killing power of neutrophils
- chronic granulomatous disease.
- deficient in enzymes
Give examples of where there may be quantitative defects in neutrophils
- cancer treatment
- bone marrow malignancy
- aplastic anaemia caused by drugs
At what level does neutropenia occur?
What can cause T cell deficiencies
Acquired:
- drugs e.g. ciclosporin after transpant
- steroids
- HIV
What drug that is given after tranplant causes T cell deficiencies?
ciclosporin
What opportunistic pathogens may infect during T cell deficiencies?
Bacterial:
- Listeria Monocytogenes
- Mycobacteria
Viral:
- HSV
- CMV
Fungal:
- candida spp.
- cryptococcus spp.
Parasite:
- cryptospoidium parvum
- toxoplasma gondii
- Strongyloides stercoralis (nematode)
When can we see hypogammaglobulinaemias?
Acquired:
- multiple myeloma
- chronic lypmphocytic leukaemia,
- s.pneumoniae
- Giardia lamblia
- cryptosporidium
What is the role or the spleen?
- source of complement
- antibody producing B cells
- removed opsonised bacteria
What infection arise after splenectomy?
- streptococcus pneumoniae
- haemophilus influenza
- N.meningitidis
- malaria
Explain how the can be a qualitative defect in the chemotaxis of neutrophils
Qualitative (lose function) e.g. chemotaxis can be defective due to
- inadequate signalling
- abnormality in receptors
- abnormal neutrophil movement
Explain how there can be a qualitative defect in the killing power of neutrophils
- chronic granulomatous disease.
- deficient in enzymes
Give examples of where there may be quantitative defects in neutrophils
- cancer treatment
- bone marrow malignancy
- aplastic anaemia caused by drugs
