Major Canine/Feline Pathogens, Disinfectants, & Vaccinations

Question 1

How are the cell membranes of Gram +, Gram -, mycobacteria, fungi, and mycoplasma different?

Answer 1

Gram +: have a single, thick peptidoglycan membrane

Gram -: have two membranes (LPS and peptidoglycan)

Mycobacteria: thick layer of glycolipids and mycolic acids

Fungi: single layer with chitin, B glucan, mannoproteins

Mycoplasma: no cell wall

Question 2

Which are the foreign animal disease agents?

Answer 2

Pox viruses
Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever virus, Hantavirus)
Paramyxovirus
Rabies

Question 3

Are parvo and panleuk enveloped or non enveloped?

Answer 3

Non-enveloped

Question 4

Which pathogens have aerosol transmission and are exclusive to cats?

Answer 4

Calicivirus
Feline distemper (panleuk)
FIP
FRV
Hendra virus

Question 5

Which pathogens have aerosol transmission and are specific to the dog?

Answer 5

Balastomyces
Infectious canine hepatitis
Tularemia

Question 6

What is the only mode of transmission not used by bacillus anthracis?

Answer 6

Vector

Question 7

What is an advantage of PCR over other methods of pathogen diagnosis?

Answer 7

Can detect pathogen before onset clinical signs

Question 8

What is the sensitivity of a test?

Answer 8

% of true positives among those truly infected

Question 9

What is the specificity of a test?

Answer 9

% of true negatives among non-infected

Question 10

How do you calculate the prevalence of a test?

Answer 10

(TP + FN) / total

TP= true positive
FN= false negative

Question 11

How do you calculate the accuracy of a test?

Answer 11

(TP + TN) / total

TP = true positives
TN = true negatives

Question 12

How do you calculate the positive predictive value of a test?

Answer 12

TP / (TP + FN)

TP = true positive
FP = false positives

Question 13

How do you calculate the negative predictive value of a test?

Answer 13

TN/ (TN + FN)

TN = true negative 
FN = false negative

Question 14

What is important to know about swabs when collecting samples?

Answer 14

General purpose swabs contain substances that are inhibitory for some bacteria, PCR reactions, and are not suitable for specimen transport

Question 15

What are spleen, heart blood, or bone marrow preferred over liver to detect septicemic infections?

Answer 15

Liver often contaminated by retrograde spread of intestinal floria from bile duct

Question 16

Efficacy of disinfection is a function of what?

Answer 16

Surface
Contact time
Product
Dilution

Question 17

Organisms in order of susceptibility to disinfection

Answer 17

(MOST SUSCEPTIBLE)

Mycoplasma
Gram + (strep, staph)
Gram - 
Enveloped viruses (herpes, distemper, FIV)
Non-enveloped viruses (parvo)
Mycobacterium 
Spires (bacillus, clostridium)
Coccidia
Prions

(MOST RESISTANT)

Question 18

Cats are sensitive to which types of disinfectants?

Answer 18

Phenols

Essential oils

Question 19

What are distinctive phenotypes of biofilms?

Answer 19

Increased tolerance to antibiotics

Increased resistance to host immune response

Question 20

Which indwelling devices are associated with biofilms?

Answer 20

IV catheters
Urinary catheters
Peritoneal dialysis catheters
Endotracheal tubes
Feeding tubes
Cardiac pacemakers
Prosthetic joints/plates

Question 21

What are the core canine vaccines?

Answer 21

Canine Adenovirus 2
Canine Distemper
Canine Parvovirus
Rabies

Question 22

According to the Feline Task Force, you should only vaccinate a cat if:

Answer 22

Realistic risk of exposure

Agent causes significant dz

Potential benefits outweigh risks

No more frequently than necessary

Greatest # possible in at risk population

Appropriately to protect human/public health

Question 23

What are the core feline vaccines?

Answer 23

Calicivirus
Herpesvirus
FeLV
Panleuk
Rabies

Question 24

What are reason a vaccine may fail?

Answer 24

HOST:

Immunodeficiencies/immunosuppressed, maternal Ab interference, age, pregnancy, concurrent illness

VACCINE:

Vaccine is poorly immunogenic, manufacture errors, disinfectant used on needles/syringes, overwhelming exposure

HUMAN:

Improper mixing, exposed at time of vaccine visit, concurrent use of antimicrobials/immunosuppressive drugs, too frequent administration, wrong route

Question 25

What is the only practical way to ensure that a puppy’s immune system has recognized the vaccinal antigen?

Answer 25

Antibody testing