Infectious diseases Flashcards
Explain the immune system
Protects the body from pathogens
Can be specific
Has memory
Mobile and fast acting
Flexible (can attack foreign entities)
What are the non-specific lines of defense?
Physical barriers (skin)
Chemical barriers (stomach acid)
Mucus and cilia protect our respiratory tract
Urine flushes out the bacteria from our urinary tract
Enzymes in our tears (high salt content) and our tears
Bacteria on our skin and digestive tract
*Weakened primary defenses increase likelihood for infection
What are the components of the innate immune system and what do they rely on?
Macrophages, neutrophils (PMNs), monocytes, natural killer cells and eosinophils
Mast cells and basophiles - phagocytize and release inflammatory mediators
Complements - lyse pathogens, coat pathogens, call for backup
Chemokines - act as traffic controllers for WBCs
They rely on receptors on the pathogens or surface components such as antibodies and complements
Explain the components of the innate cells in more detail
macrophages and monocytes - antigen presenting cells and serveillance
neutrophils - defense against bacteria and fungus
eosinophils - defense against parasites and respond to allergies
basophils - respond to allergies
True of false: the innate and adaptive immune system work together to fight invading pathogens
True
Explain the adaptive immune system
Involve B and T lymphocytes
They are very specific and have the ability to remember
Two parts:
Humoral mediated - w/in the serum
Cellular mediated - w/in the cells
How are T-lymphocytes activated
Activated by an antigen presenting cell
What do T cells do?
They secrete IL-2, which can stimulate the production of more activated T cells
What can activated T-cells turn into/be
Helper T cells (CD4+) - secrete IL’s and interferons, stimulate CD8+ cells, and stimulates production of antibodies
Cytotoxic cells (CD8+) - kill cells recognized as foreign
Regulating cell - regulates the T cell response
How are B-lymphocytes activated?
After they recognize anitgens
What do activated B cells become?
Plasma cells that secrete antibodies
Memory cells that are important for future attacks
How to antibodies work?
They bind to antigens and they may trap antigens, clump together, and/or increase the attack of immune cells
What do cytokines do? Provide examples
Soluble factors excreted by cells
Can activate cells, call for back-up, etc
ex) IL’s, TNF, IFN, etc
What are inflammatory mediators?
Any soluble factor that causes inflammation
Usually secretes by various cells
Ex) histamine, PGs, etc
What is infection?
Get a response of host systems and the person gets ill
Signs and symptoms present
What is sub-clinical infection?
Specific response in the body is evoked (i.e AB production), but the person is not ill
The body is able to fight off due to previous exposure
ex) influenza, EBV, SARS-CoV-2
What is Colonization?
Presence of organism at a body site without production of disease
We don’t treat these ones!
ex) skin wounds with staph
What are the two things that cause a disease?
Invasion of microorganism (breach host defense)
Toxins - bacteria produce toxins that can damage cells
ex) botulism, cholera, tetanus, staph aureus (food poisoning)
*we give antitoxins in these cases
Normal microbiota (won’t cause disease in healthy patients) of the skin
Diphtheroid
Propionibacteria
Staphylococci
Streptococci
Normal microbiota of the GI tract
Bacteroides sp
Clostridium sp
Diptheroids
Enterobacteriaceae (E. coli, Klebsiella sp.)
Fusobacterium sp
Streptococci (anaerobic)
Normal microbiota of the upper respiratory tract
Bacteroides sp.
Haemophilus sp.
Neisseria sp.
Streptococci
Normal microbiota of the genital tract
Corynebacterium sp.
Enterobacteriaceae sp.
Lactobacillus sp.
Mycoplasma sp.
Staphylococci
Streptococci
True or false: antibiotics always cure an infection
False. May require:
Drainage of abscess
Removal of dead tissue (no blood supply + can’t get to site)
Removal of foreign bodies or prosthetic device (biofilm on the devices that prevent AB penetration)
Decrease in immune suppression (in organ transplant need to turn down to accept)
What are the factors that affect host defenses?
Malnutrition –> affect WBC fxn
Extreme ages
Immune globulin deficiencies
Deficiencies in cellular immunity
Alcoholism
Diabetes
Immunisuppresive therapy
Invasive procedures - breach the host defense barriers
What are examples of drugs that suppress the immune system
Anti-cancer medications, corticosteroids (prednisone), organ transplant dugs, drugs for autoimmune diseases
What are the non-specific clinical manifestations for infection?
Malaise, listlessness, loss of appetite, headache, myalgias, arthralgias, etc
What are some specific clinical manifestations for infection?
Fever
WBC counts (elevated when there is an infection)
- normal range is 5-10 x10^9/L
- elevated in pt with leuk. and Rheumatoid arthritis and pt taking Li or corticosteroids
- elderly or less severe infxn features lower counts
Increased HR
Anxiety
Confusion
List the percentage of WBC in the body from highest to lowest
Neutrophils, segmented neutrophils, bands, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils.