Infectious Diseases Flashcards
Microbe Routes of Entry
- Skin.
- GI tract.
- Respiratory tract.
- Urogenital tract.
- Vertical transmission.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Skin:
- Main Defense Mechanisms
Epidermis:
- Mechanical barrier (when intact).
- Low pH.
- Produces antimicrobial fatty acids.
- Produced defensins (small peptides toxic to bacteria).
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Skin:
-How Defenses Breached and Common associated pathogen
-
Mechanical injury (e.g. puncture, burn, ulcer, IVC):
- STAU
- C. albicans
- P. aeruginosa
-
Needle stick:
- HIV
- Hepatitis
-
Vector or animal bite:
- Yellow fever
- Malaria
- Plague
- Rabies
-
Direct penetration:
- Schistosoma larvae (release enzymes which dissolve skin adhesion proteins).
- Dermatophytes (superficial infections of intact skin, hair, nails).
Microbe Routes of Entry:
GI Tract:
- Main Defense Mechanisms
- Acidic gastric secretions.
- Mucus layer.
- Pancreatic enzymes.
- Bile detergents.
- Epithelium - mechanical barrier.
- Epithelium - produces antimicrobial defensins.
- Mucosal lymphoid tissue (e.g. Peyers patches) - produces IgA.
- Peristalsis.
- Normal gut microbiota.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
GI Tract:
How Defenses Breached and Common associated Pathogen
-
Toxin production in food:
- STAU (acute food poisoning).
-
Attachment and local proliferation:
- Vibrio cholerae.
- Giardia duodenalis.
-
Attachment and mucosal invasion^:
- Shigella sp.
- Salmonella enterica.
- Campylobacter jejuni.
- Entamoeba histolytica.
-
Uptake through M cells:
- Poliovirus.
- Salmonella sp.
- Shigella sp.
-
Acid-resistant cysts and eggs:
- Protozoa.
- Helminths.
-
Obstruction, ileus, post surgical adhesions:
- Mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (E.coli, Bacteroides).
-
Resistant microbial external coats:
- Hep A.
- Rotavirus.
- Norovirus.
-
Broad spectrum Abx use:
- C. difficile.
^Mucosal invasion –> haemorrhage –> dysentery.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Respiratory Tract:
-Main Defense Mechanisms
- Mucociliary clearance (large microorg’s)
- Alveolar macrophages (small microorg’s < 5 microns).
- IgA.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Respiratory Tract:
How Defenses Breached and Common associated Pathogen
-
Attachment, invasion and local proliferation:
- Influenza (envelope protien - haemagglutinin)
-
Ciliary paralysis by toxins:
- H. influenzae.
- Mycoplasma pneumonia.
- Bordatella pertussis.
-
Resistance to phagocyte killing:
- TB.
-
Immunocompromised host:
- Superseded bacterial infections.
-
Immunosuppressed host:
- Pneumocystis jirovecii.
- Aspergillus sp.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Urogenital Tract:
-Main Defense Mechanisms
- Regular urination.
- Normal vaginal microbiota (lactobacilli) –> low pH environment.
- Intact epidermal / epithelial barrier.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Urogenital Tract:
How Defenses Breached and Common associated Pathogen
-
Obstruction of urinary flow or reflux of urine^:
- E.coli.
-
Abx use (kills lactobacilli):
- C. albicans.
-
Attachment and local proliferation:
- N. gonorrhoeae.
-
Direct infection / local invasion:
- Herpes.
- Syphilis.
-
Local trauma:
- STIs (e.g. HPV).
^Facilitates microbial attachment and local proliferation.
Microbe Routes of Entry:
Vertical Transmission.
- Placental - foetal:
- e.g. Rubella in 1st trimester –> heart malformation, ID cataracts, deafness.
- During vaginal birth:
- e.g. gonococcal and chlamydia conjunctivitis.
- Postnatal (through breastmilk):
- e.g. CMV, HIV, Hep B.
Prokaryote
- Lacks a nucleus.
- DNA = single, ds, circular chromosome.
- Transcription and translation can occur simultaneously.
- Cell wall.^
- Contain “plasmids” (carry extrachromosomal DNA).
- Ribosome (70S) rich cytoplasm.
^Exception: mycoplasma.
Eukaryote
- Has a nucleus with a nuclear membrane.
- DNA = several chromosomes within nucleus.
- Transcription and translation occur separately.
- Membrane bound organelle rich cytoplasm.
- 80S ribosomes.
Microbe Spread in Host
- Lymph system: direct or within inflammatory cells.
- Bloodstream: direct, within inflammatory cells, or via lymph system.
- Nervous system.
Microbe Strategies to Evade Host Immune Defenses
- Modulation of surface antigens to avoid recognition.
- Inhibition of phagocytosis.
- Inhibition of phagosome-lysosome fusion.
- Escape from phagosome.
- Modulate signal transduction.
- Modulate gene expression.
- Modulate cell death.
- Production of viral cytokines or soluble receptor homologs.
- Inhibition of antigen presentation.
- Hide from immune surveillance (viral latency).
Microbe Strategies to Evade Host Immune Defenses:
Modulation of surface antigens:
-Mechanisms
- High mutation rate:
- HIV.
- Influenza.
- Genetic reassortment:
- Influenza.
- Rotavirus.
- Genetic rearrangement (gene recombination / gene conversion / site-specific inversion):
- Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease).
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
- Trypanosoma brucei (African Sleeping Sickness).
- Plasmodium falciparum.
- Large diversity of serotypes:
- Rhinovirus.
- Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Microbe Strategies to Evade Host Immune Defenses:
Inhibition of Phagocytosis:
-Mechanisms
- CHO capsule:
- S. pneumoniae.
- N. meningitidis.
- H. influenzae.
- Protein A expression –> binds Fc portion of abs –> prevents binding to phagocytes Fc receptors:
- S. aureus.
Microbe Strategies to Evade Host Immune Defenses:
Inhibition of Phagosome-lysosome fusion:
-Example pathogen
Myobacteria.
Microbe Strategies to Evade Host Immune Defenses:
Escape from Phagosome:
-Example pathogen
Listeria monocytogenes.
Examples of Injury by Host Immunity
M. tuberculosis:
* Granulomatous inflammatory reaction –> tissue damage and fibrosis.
HBV / HCV:
* Hepatocyte damage secondary to host T and NK cells trying to clear infection.
Streptococci:
* Antibodies against Strep M antigen damages heart –> rheumatic heart disease.
* Strep ag-antistrep abs immune complexes deposit in glomeruli –> post strep GN.
Gut microbes:
* Inflammation and epithelial injury cycles –> IBD.
Viruses (HBP / HBC / HPV) / Bacteria (H.pylori):
* Cause chronic inflammation –> cancer.
Examples of Infections in Immunodeficiencies
Antibody deficiencies (e.g. X-linked agammaglobulinaemia):
- Extracellular bacterial infections (S. pneumoniae, HMIN, STAU).
- Viruses (Rotavirus, enterovirus).
Complement defects:
- Encapsulated bacterial infections (S. pneumoniae).
- Neisseria spp. (C5 - C9 / MAC deficiencies).
Neutrophil Fn defects (e.g. Chronic granulomatous disease):
- STAU infections.
- GNB infections.
- Fungal infections.
Toll-like receptor signalling pathway defects:
- MyD88 or IRAK4 mutations - pyogenic bacterial infections (S. pneumoniae).
- Impaired TLR3 - HSV encephalitis.
T-cell defects:
- Intracellular pathogens (viruses, some parasites).
- IL-12, IFN-gamma, STAT1 mutations –> impaired T-helper 1 (Th1) generation –> atypical mycobacterial infections.
- STAT3 mutations –> impaired Th3 generation –> chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.
Examples of Infection Causing Immunodeficiency
- HIV.
Examples of Infections in Acquired Immunodeficiencies
Opportunistic pathogens:
* Aspergillus spp.
* Pseudomonas spp.
Common Infections in Non-Immune diseases / injuries
CF:
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Burkholderia cepacia.
Sickle cell disease:
- S. pneumoniae (due to loss of splenic macrophages).
Burns:
- P. auruginosa.
Viral Tropism
- A viruses preference of cell to infect.
- Major determinant = viral receptors on cell surface.
Leptospirosis:
-Key facts
- Caused by bacterial spirochete Leptospira.
- Spread by infected animal urine and body fluids.
- Temperate and tropical climates mostly affected.
- Flood and hurricanes = biggest source of outbreaks.
- Symptoms vary from non-specific illness (fever, myalgia, vomiting, diarrhoea) to renal / liver failure, or meningitis.
- Treat with doxycycline PO or peniciilin IV.
Leptospira
- Spirochete (GN spiral bacteria).
- Long.
- Thin.
- Motile.
- Causes Leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis:
-Source
- Urine of infected animals (Cows, pigs, horses, dogs, rodents, wild animals).
- Soil and water contaminated with infected urine.^
- Infected animals can excrete bacteria sporadically or continuously for months to years.
- Occurs worldwide, but most common in temperate and tropical climates.
^Can live in soil / water for weeks to months.
Leptospirosis:
-Transmission to humans
- Through contact with infected animals urine or bodily fluids (NOT saliva) directly or through contaminated water / soil / food.
- Enters through skin, or mucous membranes especially if skin damaged, or through drinking contaminated water.
- Person to person transmission RARE.
Leptospirosis:
-Outbreaks
- Floods.
- Hurricanes.
i.e. exposure to contaminated water.
Leptospirosis:
-Incubation period
- 2 days to 4 weeks.
- Commonly between 5 to 14 days.
Leptospirosis:
-Symptoms
- May be asymptomatic.
- Symptoms begin abruptly with high fever +/- other sx.
- Can present in 2 phases:
- Fever, chills, headache, myalgia, diarrhoea. May have recovery period then redevelop illness.
- Kidney or liver failure, meningitis, respiratory distress, or haemorrhage. 2nd phase more severe.
Leptospirosis:
-Length of disease
Few days to >=3 weeks.
Untreated, can last months.
Leptospirosis:
-Treatment
Mild disease:
* PO doxycyline 100mg BD.
* Alternate options: azithromycin, ampicillin, amoxicillin.
Severe disease:
* IV penicillin.
* Alternate option: ceftriaxone.
Leptospirosis:
-Pet symptoms
- Fever.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Diarrhoea.
- Refusal to eat.
- Severe weakness and depression.
- Stiffness.
- Severe muscle pain.
- Inability to have puppies.
- May be asymptomatic.
NB. Pets can be vaccinated against Leptospirosis.
Sporothrix
- Fungus
- Found in soil and on plant matter (sphagnum moss, rose bushes, hay, wood).
- Also from infected Brazilian cats.
- Causes sporotrichosis (Rose-gardener’s disease).
Image: https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/sporotrichosis/
Sporotrichosis:
-Types and Human transmission
Cutaneous:
- Most common.
- From broken skin touching infected plant matter or from infected Brazilian cat scratches / bites.
Pulmonary:
- Rare.
- Breathing in fungal spores.
Disseminated:
- Immunocompromised / immunosuppressed patients.
NB.: No person to person spread.