Infections Flashcards
What are the 5 types of infectious agents?
Bacteria Viruses Fungi Parasites Prions
How do bacteria damage tissues?
Pili on the surface attach to cell walls allowing adhesion
How are exotoxins produced?
By intact bacteria
What are endotoxins?
Components of cell walls
What do endotoxins do?
Trigger complement cascade
Trigger coagulation cascade
Induce interleukin 1, causing fever
What are 3 examples of aggressins?
Coagulase
Streptokinase
Collagenases
What are 4 types of parasite?
Protozoa
Trematodes (flukes)
Nematodes (roundworms)
Cestodes (tapeworm)
What are the protozoal diseases amoebiasis and giardiasis associated with?
Dysentery, diarrhoea
What type of disease is malaria?
Protozoal
What is a prion?
Infectious particle with no DNA or RNA
What are some major defences to respiratory infections?
Nasopharyngeal filtering (hair)
Mucociliary apparatus (mucus)
Coughing
Alveolar macrophages
What can interfere with cilia function?
Smoking
Hot gas
Viral disease
Ciliary dyskinesias
What can cause changes in mucus?
Dehydration
CF
Chronic bronchitis
What can cause poor alveolar macrophage function?
Alcohol
Tobacco
