L13 - Normal microbiota Flashcards
What does symbiosis mean?
Two or more organisms co-exist in close physical association
What are the 4 types of symbiosis?
- mutualism
- neutralism
- commensalism
- parasitism
Mutualism is a type of symbiosis. What does it mean?
Both organism benefit from symbiosis (benefit from co-existing in close physical association)
Neutralism is a type of symbiosis. What does it mean?
Neither organism derives benefit nor harm
Commensalism is a type of symbiosis. What does it mean?
One organism benefits, the other derives neither benefit nor harm
Parasitism is a type of symbiosis. What does it mean?
One organism (parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (host)
In parasitic symbiosis, does the host organism benefit or derive harm?
The host derives harm
It is the parasite that benefits at the expense of the host
In sterile sites of the body, sterility is maintained by 3 mechanisms. What are these?
- by surface cleaning
- by barriers
- by physical separation
Give an example of a sterile site in the body where sterility is maintained by surface cleaning
Lower respiratory tract (cilia in lungs etc)
Give examples of sterile sites in the body where sterility is maintained by barriers that allow unidirectional flow
- upper genital tract (cervix)
- urinary tract (urethra)
- middle ear (eustachian tube)
Give examples of sterile sites in the body where sterility is maintained by physical separation from non-sterile sites?
- pleural cavity
- peritoneal cavity
- spinal cord and meninges
What is tissue tropism?
Propensity for a particular organism to grow in a particular habitat
Which bacteria live on the skin? (skin flora)
- coagulase-negative staphylococci (staphylococcus epidermis)
- staphylococcus aureus (esp. in nasal carriers)
- propionibacterium species (propionibacterium acnes)
Which bacteria live in the mouth? (mouth flora)
- viridans/oral streptococci
- anaerobes
- many others
Which bacteria live in the nostrils?
- skin flora
- staph. aureus (20% - nose is main carrier site)
Which bacteria live in the pharynx?
Respiratory and other pathogens
- strep. pyogenes (group A)
- haemophilus influenzae
- strep. pneumoniae
- neisseria meningitidis
- staph. aureus
Which bacteria live in the vagina pre-puberty?
- skin flora
- lower GI flora (mainly E. coli)