MICROBIA Flashcards
What is the causative agent of malaria?
Plasmodium species
The worst one is Plasmodium falciparum, which causes cerebral malaria and blackwater fever.
Which mosquito serves as the vector for malaria?
Female Anopheles mosquito
What is the first step in the pathophysiology of malaria infection?
Mosquito bites and injects sporozoites into blood
What occurs after sporozoites enter the liver during malaria infection?
They multiply inside hepatocytes
What is released into the blood when hepatocytes burst in malaria?
Merozoites
What do merozoites invade after being released into the blood?
Red blood cells (RBCs)
What causes fever, chills, and anemia in malaria?
Destruction of RBCs releases toxins
True or False: Cerebral malaria occurs when infected RBCs get stuck in small brain blood vessels.
True
What is blackwater fever characterized by?
Massive RBC lysis leading to hemoglobin in urine
List some clinical features of malaria.
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Anemia
- Splenomegaly
- Dark urine (blackwater fever)
What diagnostic method is used for malaria?
Peripheral Blood Smear
What is the most effective treatment for malaria?
Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs)
What type of mosquito nets help prevent malaria?
Mosquito nets that block mosquitoes while sleeping
What is the causative agent of leishmaniasis (kala-azar)?
Leishmania donovani
Which insect acts as the vector for kala-azar?
Sand fly
What is the primary diagnostic method for kala-azar?
Blood culture
What pathogen causes skin infections and septicemia?
Staphylococcus aureus
What disease is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Pneumonia and meningitis
What is the causative agent of Chagas disease?
Trypanosoma cruzi
What causes African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)?
Trypanosoma gambiense
Which fly is the vector for African trypanosomiasis?
Tsetse fly
What are the first steps in the pathophysiology of African trypanosomiasis?
Parasite enters blood and spreads through lymphatics
What neurological symptoms are associated with African trypanosomiasis?
Confusion and sleep disturbances
What are the two types of antibiotics?
- Bacteriostatic
- Bactericidal
What is the function of bacteriostatic antibiotics?
Stops bacteria from growing
Which antibiotics are examples of bactericidal agents?
- Penicillins
- Aminoglycosides
What are the four phases of the bacterial growth curve?
- Lag Phase
- Log Phase
- Stationary Phase
- Death Phase
During which phase of the bacterial growth curve do bacteria divide rapidly?
Log Phase
What happens during the stationary phase of bacterial growth?
Growth stops due to nutrient depletion and waste accumulation
What is the mnemonic to remember the bacterial growth curve phases?
LLSD = Lag, Log, Stationary, Death
Fill in the blank: Bacteriostatic antibiotics _______ bacterial growth.
[stop]
Fill in the blank: Bactericidal antibiotics _______ bacteria.
[kill]
