Intro to microbiology Flashcards

1
Q

How have pathogens shaped human evolution

A

-shaped immune system (we have to fight infections)

  • Invaded genomes (endogenous retroviruses)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How do we catagorise pathogens

A

BSL-1

  • Unlikely to cause disease
  • GUT bacteria

BSL-2

  • Can cause disease but unlikely to spread
    • due to vaccination or high prevalence(chicken pox)

BSL-3

  • Can cause disease AND Spread but treatments are available
    • hepatitis C

BSL-4

  • Deadliest!!!!!!!!!
  • Causes serious disease, will spread and usually no treatment (example: Ebola virus)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Prions

What are prions

A

A mutant protein = Prion protein

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Prions

What can prions do in the body

A

Can cause other normal proteins to fold abnormally (spongiform encephalopathy)

  • Aggregates of abnormal proteins in the brain
  • can cause degeneration of brain tissue
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Prions

What is the normal prion called that we express on neuoronal tissues and tonsils

A

Prion protein (PrPc)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Prion

What is the abonormal prion protein called

A

PrPsc = is the abnormal protein

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Prions

What diseases can prions cause

A
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
  • Kuru
  • Mad cow disease or vCJD
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Prions

How can we pass down CJD

A
  • Sporadic (mutation)
  • Familial (passed down germline)
  • Transmission (like mad cow disease vCJD)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Prions

How can CJD be transmitted

A
  • Oral
  • Operative (neuronal tissue)
  • Blood
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Prions: CJD

What are the treatments for CJD

A

It’s 100 % fatal

  • No treatment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Prions

Why are infections caused by prions hard to treat?

A
  • They have high resistance to disinfectants and heat
  • Hard to remove and/or inactivate
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Prions

What is kuru

like what is it a form of

A

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Prions

Where was kuru first identified

A

in Papua New Guinea in 1960’s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Prions

What is the cause of kuru

A

ritual of eating the dead (so it’s orally transmitted)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Prions

What is the cause of mad cow disease (vCJD)

A

Caused by feeding cows meat and bonemeal (oral)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Prions

Does mad cow disease only affect cows

A

Sheep can also get it

also humans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Prions

what prion can cause mad cow disease in humans

A

Bovine prion can cause disease in humans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Prions

Why do people think that mad cow disease may cause more deaths in the future

A

due to long incubation period

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Viruses

What is the baltimore classification and

what does it classify based on

A

Classfies viruses
developed on how viruses synthesise their messenger RNA

Has 7 classes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Virus

What things do viruses have in common

A

- Same basic viral lifestyle
- **Alternative splicing,
- which increases the coding capacity of viral genomes
-
Genome segmentation (most)**
- → this is better for evolution
- → E.G. viral genes are encoded on separate bits of DNA/RNA
- Host range
-> can be found across prokaryotes, eukaroytes and archea
some restricted to one host, others can jump into different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Virus

Are viruses alives

A

Hm they are dead ish
- Not a cell
- Live in a shell or protein called a capsid
- Contain nucleic acids
- Can be enveloped or non-enveloped
- NEED a host to replicate!!!!

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Virus

What is the viral lifestyle

Some variation due to genome and other factors

A
  1. Attach to host cell
  2. Entry into host cell
  3. Release of viral genome from capsid
  4. Replication of viral genome
  5. Assembly of new virions
  6. Eject the new virions from cell
  7. REPEAT !!!!
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Virus

How can viruses effect host cells

A
  • Some viruses integrate into the host genome (HIV)
  • Cell death
    • Due to production of lots of virions
  • Cell fusion = syncytia
  • Increased cell proliferation
  • Papillomaviruses
    • take over TFs
  • Latent infection = no clinical manifestation until the virus reactivates (Herpesviruses)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Virus classifications

What is group 1

Give examples of viruses in this group

A

double stranded DNA virus

Herpesviruses, papillomaviruses, polyomaviruses & poxviruses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Viruses group 1

What is the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)

A

Causes chicken pox upon initial infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Viruses group 1

Where is latency for VZV

A

Found in dorsal root ganglia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Group 1; dsDNA viruses

What can cause of reactvation the VZV

A

stress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Group 1; dsDNA viruses

When VZV gets reactivated what does it turn into

how does it also present

A
  • Shingles
    • pattern of rash shows which neurones are affected is latent VZV
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Group 1; dsDNA viruses

Does the UK vaccinate against VZV

A

No

  • UK does not but you can pay for the vaccine
    • go down the route of chicken pox parties
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Group II – ssDNA Viruses

What is the second group

A

single strand DNA viruses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Group II – ssDNA Viruses

Do single strand DNA viruses infect humans

A

Few do…but when they do they barley

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Group II – ssDNA Viruses

What is the single strand DNA virus found in humans called

A

Torque Teno Virus
(formally transfusion transmitted virus)

Found in 90% of adults worldwide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Group II – ssDNA Viruses

What is most known Group II – ssDNA Viruse called

A

Parvoviruses

Canine parvo can kill young puppies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Group III – dsRNA Viruses

What is group 3 called

A

double strand RNA

36
Q

Group III – dsRNA Viruses

Give example of double strand RNA virus

A

Rotaviruses
Can cause gastrointestinal issues like diarrhoea and vomiting

37
Q

Group III – dsRNA Viruses

Rotaviruses can be very serious in babies and young kids

What do we do about it?

A

Rotavirus vaccine offered to babies

2x doses (1st at 8 weeks, 2nd at 12 weeks)

38
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

What is group 4

A

single strand RNA virus

39
Q

Can single strand RNA virus affect humans

A

Yes

40
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

Give examples of single strand RNA viruses

A

noroviruses, enteroviruses, flaviviruses, coronaviruses, astroviruses

41
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

Why is there a +ve on Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

A

Positive sense so genome is mRNA

42
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

What type of group 4 virus is zika

A

flavivirus

can infect humans

43
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

How can zika virus be transmitted

A

mosquitos & bodily fluids

44
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

How do we treat zika virys

A

pain relief, rest and hydration

45
Q

Group IV – ssRNA (+ve) RNA Viruses

what can zika virus cause

A
  • Microcephaly in neonates
  • Neurological disorders (Guillain-Barre syndrome)
46
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

What is group 5

A

Negative single strand RNA virus

47
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

Why are these the worst viruses

A

high % fatality rate

48
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

Give examples

A

Lyssavirus (Rabies), Influenza, Ebola, Marburg, Arenaviruses, Hantaviruses

49
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

What can ebola cause

A

haemorrhagic fevers

  • Broad ranging symptoms
    • typically characterised by blood in vomit/stools
50
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

What strai of ebola is the most common

A

Zaire strain

90% mortality

51
Q

Group V – ssRNA (-ve) RNA Viruses

How do we end outbreaks of ebola

A

Infection control

52
Q

Group VI – ssRNA-RT Viruses

What is group 6

A

single strand RNA viruses that have reverse transcriptase activity

- Viruses have DNA intermediate from RNA
- Reverse transcription

53
Q

Group VI – ssRNA-RT Viruses

Give example of a group 5 virus

A

Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 = HIV-1

HIV-1 is a lifelong infection progresses into AIDs

DNA stage (provirus) integrates into the host genome

54
Q

Group VI – ssRNA-RT Viruses

AIDS is the failure of the immune system, what can happen as a result of this?

A

Other opportunistic pathogens can cause disease

55
Q

Group VI – ssRNA-RT Viruses

HIV is known as zoonotic virus, how?

A

Originally jumped from chimps into humans

Restricted now due to human adaptation

56
Q

Group VII – dsDNA-RT Viruses

What is group 7

A

double strand DNA and reverse transciptise

57
Q

Why is group 7 known as “the weirdest group of viruses”

A
  • they are DNA viruses but have an RNA intermediate step
    • Use reverse transcription in virions to make their genomes
58
Q

Group VII – dsDNA-RT Viruses

Give me an example of group 7 virus

A

Hepatitis B Virus

59
Q

Group VII – dsDNA-RT Viruses

Why can Hep B be problamtic despite having an extremely good vaccine

A
  • 95% plus of adults and older children can clear the acute infection
    -Drops to ~ 5 % in young children where it becomes chronic

820K deaths due to HBV in 2019

60
Q

Group VII – dsDNA-RT Viruses

What can Hep B go onto cause

A

hepatocellular carcinoma

Chronic carriers have a 40% chance of death from HCC due to infection

61
Q

Bacteria

What is the realtionship between humans and bacteria

A

Not all bacterial species cause disease
- many can cause disease (but choose not to)
- others will always be pathogenic (they want to cause to disease)
- for example Salmonella Typhi has no reservoir outside of humans
- some are opperteruntic (if the chance to be the bad guy arises, then they will take)
- for example Pseudomonas will infect body if it has a chance
- anaerobes → can infect wounds if deep

62
Q

Bacteria

Are bacteria versatile in their ranges of shape

A

Yes

for example they can be cocci, bacilli,

63
Q

Bacteria

What is the general structure of bacteria

A
  • Prokaryotes
    • have no membrane bound organelles (like a nucleus)
  • Usually have cell wall
    • made out of peptidoglycan
  • Can have appendages such as
    • flagella
    • frimbriae
64
Q

Bacteira

How do we classfiy bacteria

A

Usually based on nucleic acids
but…
there is large divison (they are either gram negative or gram positive)

65
Q

Bacteria

What is the difference between gram positive bacteria and gram negative

A

**Gram negative bacteria
**
- stain pink
- because have double membranes
- examples inc ecoli

**Gram positive **
- stain purple
- because have single membranes
- examples inc Staphylococci (E.G. MRSA) and Streptococci

66
Q

Bacteria

How can bacteria cause disease

A

some bacteria invade cells(salmonella)

Toxin production, direct tissue damage

  • Host response
  • Immune system
67
Q

Bacteria

What are bacterial toxins called and why do bacteria make them

A
  • Exotoxins – proteins secreted by bacteria
  • Synthesised for a number of reasons
    • Destroy host cells
    • Release cellular contents
    • Allow invasion
68
Q

Bacteria

Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria that produces toxins

What do these toxins do?

A
  • Food poisoning
  • Lethal neurotoxin that causes paralysis

  • but we use it for botox
69
Q

Bacteria

What is Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

A

Endotoxin
- Found on Gram NEGATIVE bacteria

70
Q

Bacteria

What does Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) do/cause

A

Major immune stimulator
- Causes Sepsis
- Only Lipid A is toxic
- which is what causes the major immune response

Specificty caused by terminal repeat reigons (salmonella has over 1000)

71
Q

Bacteria

Why do bacteria have flagella and what do they do

A
  • Use: Molecular motors used to swim

Why?
- Chemotaxis
- Can move bacteria towards or away from chemical attractants/repellents

Flagella are often immunogenic and cause inflammation

Important in pathogensis

72
Q

Bacteria

What are fimbrae (Pili)

what are there functions

A
  • Shorter and finer than flagella
  • Have different functions
    • Attachment to host cells (UTIs)
    • Host cell invasion
    • Roles in conjugation
  • Conjugation = transfer of plasmid DNA
    • This can drive AMR
73
Q

Fungi

Are fungi single celluar or multicelluar

A

Both!

74
Q

Fungi

Are fungi prokaryotic or eukaroytic

A

EUKARYOTIC

75
Q

Fungi

Why are fungi harder to treat

A

Similar to human cells (since they are also eukaryotic)

76
Q

Fungi

Do fungi have a cell wall

A

yes and it’s made out of chitin

77
Q

Fungi

There are useful fungi though, can you give some examples

A
  • Yeast
    • Moulds
    • Mushrooms
78
Q

Fungi

What is the structure of Fungus

A
  • Can be single cells but many grow as hyphae
  • Cylindrical tubes which interconnect = mycelium
  • Mycelium can be very large

-Armillaria ostoyae grows very large
there a national forest with 2,200 acres of fungi

79
Q

Fungi

Fungal infections can act like pathogens and viruses

True or false

A

False

Can act as parasites or pathogens

80
Q

Fungi

Can fungal infections be life threatning

A

Yes and No

we can have simple infections like athletes foot

some can be serious, life-threatening infections (E.G. Aspergillus infection in the lungs)

81
Q

Fungi

What is the most common oral fungal condition

A

Thrush

82
Q

Fungi

What fungus causes thrush

A

Candida albicans (a type of yeast)

83
Q

Parasites

Are parasites always small

A

Parasites can also include larger, complex organisms

for example tapeworms

84
Q

Parasites

An example of a parasite is protoza

Can you name two disease this can cause

A
  • Malaria
  • ## caused around 619,000 deaths
  • Trypanosomes
  • African Sleeping sickness
  • fatal without treatment
85
Q
A
86
Q
A
87
Q
A