Lecture 7 Flashcards
Pathogenicity
The ability to cause disease
Virulence
The extent of pathogenicity
The Portals of Entry
Mucous membranes, skin, parenteral route (deposition directly into tissues beneath the skin and mucous membranes)
The portals of exit
Respiratory tract (coughing,sneezing), Gastrointestinal tract (feces, saliva) , Genitourinary tract (urine, vaginal/urethral secretions) , Skin (exfoliation) , Blood (biting arthropods, needles/syringes)
ID50
Infectious dose for 50% of the population
LD50
Lethal dose of a toxin for 50% of the population
Adherence
Adhesions/ligands bind to receptors on host cells
Coagulase
Coagulate blood
Kinases
Digest fibrin clots
Hyaluronidasae
Hydrolyses hyaluronic acid
Collagenase
Hydrolyses collagen
IgA proteases
Destroy IgA antibodies
Siderophores
Take iron from host iron-binding proteins
Antigenic variation
Alter surface proteins
Toxin
Substance that contributes to pathogenicity
Toxigenicity
Ability to produce a toxin
Toxemia
Presence of toxin in host’s blood
Toxoid
Inactivated toxin used in a vaccine
Antitoxin
Antibodies against a specific toxin