M5: Clostridium & other Bacterial Diseases Flashcards
1
Q
Clostridium botulinum
A
- spore-forming
- in anaerobic conditions, releases paralytic toxin that affects motor neurons –> botulism
2
Q
3 situations causing of Botulism
A
- improperly canned/contaminated low-acidic foods –> low oxygen enviro –> toxin stimulated
- consumption of Clostridium botulinum before immune system fully functional (infant botulism)
- bacteria colonize deep wound –> release toxin inside body due to anaerobic conditions in wound (wound botulism
3
Q
symptoms of botulism
A
- muscle weakness
- paralysis
- sleepy eyes when awake
- fixed and dilated pupils with light exposure
4
Q
Clostridium tetani
A
- commonly found in soil, dust, animal feces
- releases tetanospasmin toxin that acts on inhibitory neurons –> causes Tetanus
5
Q
Tetanus
A
- occurs when Clostridium tetani releases tetanospasmin toxin that acts on inhibitory neurons, causing systemic muscle stiffness/spasms
- also called lockjaw bc spasms usually start in masseter muscle
- untreated, can lead to respiratory failure bc breathing muscles stop working
- no cure but entirely preventable via vaccination
6
Q
Clostridium perfringens
A
- found basically anywhere in nature
- produces alphatoxin perfringolysin under anaerobic conditions (usually in deep puncture wounds)
- alphatoxin forms pores in plasma membrane of host cells, causing uncontrolled ion fluxes leaded to cell lysis & cell death
7
Q
Gas gangrene
A
- caused by Clostridium perfringens releasing alphatoxin perfringolysin
- symptoms: muscle necrosis, swelling of infected areas, fever, intense gas production (from robust carb fermentation)
- treatment = surgical removal of infected tissue and heavy antibiotics
8
Q
Legionella
A
- normally found in freshwater reservoirs
- only transmitted via breathable droplets (enter lungs instead of stomach)
- when found in man-made water systems, water can become mist or vapor and be inhaled –> Legionnaire’s disease
- cannot be transmitted person-to-person
9
Q
Legionnaire’s disease
A
- caused by inhalation of Legionella (Legionella pneumophila)
- symptoms occur 2-10 days post exposure
- treatable via antibiotics
10
Q
symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease
A
- pneumonia
- fever
- headache
- muscle aches
- cough
- shortness of breath
11
Q
Plague
A
- caused by flea bites from fleas infected with Yersinia pestis from small animals such as rats
- 3 types: bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic
- symptoms appear in 2-5 days
- treatable via common antibiotics such as tetracycline and doxycycline
12
Q
Bubonic plague
A
characterized by painfully swollen lymph nodes
13
Q
Pneumonic plague
A
causes rare, highly contagious respiratory infection
14
Q
Septicemic plague
A
rarest form of plague, causes blood infection
15
Q
general symptoms of plague (7)
A
- headache
- fever
- seizures
- bleeding
- difficulty breathing
- low BP
- organ failure
