micro 1 and 2 Flashcards
what are the two main areas of the respiratory tract?
- Upper respiratory tract (URT)•Abundant and diverse microbiota
- Lower respiratory tract (LRT)•Normally sterile
how do URT microbial communities vary?
•By age, season
how many air does a healthy person breath each day?
A healthy adult breathes >7000L of air a day
•Approx. 104-106bacteria cells/m3/day
how does the lung have immunity?
- Complex barrier to protect against inhaled pathogens
- Mechanical
- Particles of different sizes get removed at different levels
- Chemical•Produces mucus, complement
- Some epithelial cells can produce cytokines etc
- Immunecells
- Alveolar macrophages (recruit other immune cells when needed)
how much of inhaled particles transported from bronchioles to trachea by the mucociliary elevator?
about 90%
what is the mucocillary elevator?
Part of the innate immune system
•Non selective
•On a very basic and generalised level; •Consists of different components;
•Epithelial (ciliated) •Secretory cells
•Can be impaired/inhibited in certain chronic conditions;•
Cystic Fibrosis
•Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
how does the mucocillary elevator work?
Secretory cells produce mucuswhich coat the airways
•Goblet cells in trachea→changes to club and serous cells lower down
Inhaled particles become trapped in the mucus
•Mucus “floating” on the PCL which allows the cilia to beat
•Moves mucus up and out of the respiratory tract
what is a respiratory tract infection and what are the different types of ones?
- Respiratory tract infection is a general term for any infectious disease involving the respiratory tract
- Further classified based on localisation
- Upper Respiratory tract infections
- More often acute infections rather than chronic
- Mainly viral but can be bacterial
- Fungal lot less common •Lower Respiratory tract infections
- Tends to be where the more serious infections are based
what are the possible upper respiratory tract infections?
- Pharyngitis: inflammation at the back of the throat (includes tonsillitis)
- Laryngitis: inflammation of the larynx
- Sinusitis: inflammation of the sinuses
- Common Cold: symptoms caused by inflammatory response
what are the possible lower respiratory tract infections?
- Bronchitis: inflammation of the bronchi
- Bronchiolitis: inflammation of the bronchioles (mainly in kids)
- Pneumonia: inflammation of the alveoli
how would you treat a respiratory tract infection?
antibiotics
how can you acquire a respiratory tract infection?
•Generally transmitted by droplets from coughing and sneezing
•Influenza: May contain >0.5 million virus particles per sneeze/cough
•Droplet Vs Airborne transmission•
Can also be caught from contac
how would you prevent infections?
Good general hygiene measures;•Handwashing•Soap/Alcohol rubs•Cough Etiquette•More Healthcare specific;•Patient isolation•PPE•Surface decontamination
what are the common microbiota in COPD?
Some more common species; H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis
•P. aeruginosa more prevalent the more advanced the disease
what is pneumonia and how can you get it?
- Pneumonia causes inflammation of the lung
- Causes the alveoli to fill with fluid
- Can be defined by different sources of infection;•Community
- Any pneumonia acquired outside a hospital
- Hospital•If infection acquired >48 h after admission •Ventilator
- If infection arises >48 h after intubation/mechanical ventilation
what are the common microbiota assoicated with COPD?
- Typical: S. pneumonia, Group A Streptococcus, H. influenza, M. catarrhalis,
- Atypical: Legionella, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia
- Hospital and Ventilator:•G-bacilli (e.g. E.coli and P. aeruginosa)•G+ cocci (particularly MRSA)
what does group A steptococcus cause?
Strep throat ( GAS pharyngitis), Necrotizing Fasciitis, tonsillitis etc etc
is strep A grame positive or negative?
gram positive
how is strep A characteristed?
- Categorised by M-protein antigen (cell surface and fimbriae)
- Supplanted by PCR/sequencing of EMM gene (>200 genotypes)
how is strep A treated?
antibiotics
how do strep A immunoinvade?
- Attachment/Invasion mediated by;
- M proteins, Pili F proteins and hyaluronic acid capsule
- Once body detects GAS, innate immune system kicks into action
- Triggers a proinflammatoryresponse
- Release of cytokines (IL-6 and TNF)•Recruits macrophages and neutrophils
what are the GAS mechanisms?
- Hyaluronic acid capsule
- M-protein
- Secreted enzymes
what is the main cause of TB?
Main cause is Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans
•Other Mycobacteriumspecies can also cause TB•M. bovis, M. africanum, M. canetti, M. microti
who discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
Koch