L10 Introduction to Medical Microbiology Flashcards
What are the 6 taxonomic categories of infectious agents?
- Prions
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Protozoa
- Helminths
What are the two types of parasites?
- Protozoa
2. Helminths
___ consist of RNA or DNA contained in a protein shell; some are enveloped in a lipid membrane.
Viruses
Describe the spectrum of illnesses caused by viruses.
- Acute, transient illnesses (colds, gastroenteritis)
- Lifelong latency/long-term reactivation (herpes zoster)
- Chronic disease (Hepatitis B)
- Oncogenic (HPV, EBV)
Bacteria are ___ (unicellular or multicellular).
Unicellular
How are bacteria classified?
- Structural features of their envelope
2. Whether they are capsulated or unencapsulated
Describe the spectrum of illnesses caused by bacteria.
- Low virulence
- Acute life threatening infections
- Chronic debilitating illness
Bacteria are capable of synthesizing their own DNA, RNA, and proteins; why do they need a host?
Favorable growth conditions
___ are larger and more complex than bacteria. Growth patterns include budding yeast and slender tubes called ___.
Fungi; hyphae
Describe the spectrum of illnesses caused by fungi.
- Infect superficial layers of skin
- Deep fungal infections can spread systematically
- Opportunistic fungi that normally colonize the body may cause disease in immunosuppressed patients
What are the most complex microbes?
Parasites
___ are parasitic, single-celled organisms with motility, pliable plasma membranes, and complex cytoplasmic organelles.
Protozoa
Describe the spectrum of illnesses caused by protozoa.
- Invade and digest human tissues
- Replicate in and kill cells
- Damage tissue by inflammatory and immunologic responses
- Latent, can reactivate in immunocompromised host
___ are parasitic worms; they are highly differentiated, multi-cellular organisms.
Helminths
True or false - most helminths depend on an intermediary host or vector for asexual reproduction.
True
What are the three types of helminths?
- Roundworms (nematodes)
- Flatworms (trematodes)
- Tapeworms (cestodes)
Helminths often cause disease by what mechanism?
Via host inflammatory responses to the helminths
What are prions?
Misfolded protein aggregates
Where do prions tend to aggregate?
CNS
What are the three major neurodegenerative diseases caused by prions?
- Kuru
- Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease)
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
How are prions transmitted?
Person to person, by surgery, organ transplantation, blood transfusion
What is the microbial population that colonizes the human body and where is it found?
Microbiome
Intestinal tract, skin, upper airway, vagina
What are the 4 major portals of entry of microbial infection?
- Skin
- GI tract
- Respiratory tract
- UG tract
What are the two major defenses provided by the skin?
- Dense keratin layer
2. Low pH and fatty acids inhibit growth of microorganisms other than normal flora
True or false - some microorganisms can traverse unbroken skin.
True - schistosoma larvae penetrate skin by releasing enzymes that dissolve the ECM; certain fungi can infect intact stratum corneum, hair, and nails