Microbiology ✔ Flashcards
how do penicillin antibiotics work?
beta-lactam ring
how do cephalosporins work?
beta-lactam ring
how do carbapenems work?
beta-lactam ring
what are the tree types of antibiotics which work by inhibiting cell wall binding via beta-lactam rings?
penicillin
cephalosporins
carbapenems
what are the two types of glycopeptide antibiotics?
vancomycin
teicoplanin
how do beta-lactam antibiotics work?
contain beta-lactam ring which interferes with cell wall synthesis by binding the penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) which normally work to cross link and strengthen bacterial cell wall. These PBPs bind to the beta-lactam antibiotics instead. These abx are bactericidal, especially against rapidly dividing bacterium
when are beta-lactam (eg. penicillin) antibiotics ineffective?
bacteria without peptidoglycan cell walls
what is the difference between gram positive and gram negative cell walls?
gram positive: peptidoglycan & cytoplasmic membranes
gram negative walls: peptidoglycan wall in between outer and inner cell membranes
what color do gram negative & gram positive bacteria stain?
gram negative - pink/red. the thinner peptidoglycan wall means it doesn’t keep the stain.
gram positive - purple
what organisms do penicillin antibotics work well against?
Gram positive organisms, Streptococci, Clostridia
what organisms does amoxicillin work well against?
Broad spectrum penicillin, extending coverage to Enterococci and Gram negative organisms
what is special about flucloxacillin as opposed to the other penicillins?
the only penicillin antibotic stable to staph aureus beta-lactamase
what organisms does pipericillin work well against?
similar to amoxicillin, extends coverage to Pseudomonas and other non-enteric Gram negatives
what is special about co-amoxiclav and tazobactam?
β-lactamase inhibitors. Protect penicillins from enzymatic breakdown and increase coverage to include S. aureus, Gram negatives and anaerobes
name a first generation, second generation, third generation cephalosporin:
first generation - cephalexin
second generation - cefuroxime
third generation - cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime
what organisms is cefuroxime effective against?
Stable to many β-lactamases produced by Gram negatives. Similar cover to co-amoxiclav but less active against anaerobes
what antiobiotic - resistant infection is ceftriaxone associated with?
c. difficile
what antibiotic resistant organism is sensitive to ceftazidime?
pseudomonas
what organisms are resistant to all cephalosporins?
Extended Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)
e.g. strains of E Coli or Klebsiella
what are the key drug metabolism facts about beta-lactams?
renally excreted – so decrease dose with renal impairment
short half life
will not cross BBB
how do glycopeptide antibiotics work?
active against gram positive bacteria but cannot penetrate gram negative bacterial cell walls. Inhibit cell wall synthesis by blocking glycosidic bonds and peptide cross links of bacteria (between NAM-NAM and NAG-NAG)
name two examples of glycopeptide antibiotics:
vancomycin
teicoplanin
what two antibiotic resistant infections can be treated wtih glycopeptide antibiotics (eg vancomycin)?
oral vanc - C. Diff
IV vanc - MRSA
what key organs can be affected by glycopeptide antibiotics?
cause renal toxicity
what classes of antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis?
aminoglycosides tetracyclines macrolides chloramphenicol Oxazolidinones
how do aminoglycosides work?
bind to amino-acyl site of 30s ribosomal subunit to stop elongation of polypeptide chain and cause misreading of mRNA codons
- rapid and concentration-dependent bactericidal action.
- Works synergistically with beta-lactams but no effect on anaerobes as requires existence of certain channels to be able to pass through
what organs are aminoglycosides (eg gentamycin) toxic to?
ototoxicity
nephrotoxicity
when do we not give tetracyclines?
pregnant women & children
how do tetracyclines work?
Broad-spectrum agents with activity against intracellular pathogens, bind reversibly to ribosomal 30s subunit and thus prevent protein synthesis in bacteria by preventing aa-tRNA from binding to codons
what are examples of macrolides?
clarithromycin, azithromycin
what are particular uses for macrolide antibotics (eg azithromycin)?
Useful agent for mild Staphylococcal or Streptococcal infections in penicillin-allergic patients
Also active against Campylobacter and Legionella
what bacteria are macrolides ineffective against?
gram negative bacteria
how do macrolide antibiotics work? (eg clarithromycin)
binding to 50s subunit of ribosome in bacteria to interfere with translocation and stimulate the disassociation of peptidyl tRNA
how does chloramphenicol antibiotic work?
binds to the peptidyl transferase of the 50S ribosomal subunit and inhibits the formation of peptide bonds during translation
what is the risk associated with use of chloramphenicol antibiotics?
aplastic anemia
grey baby syndrome (in neonates)
how do Oxazolidinones (i.e. Linezolid) work?
bind to 23s component of 50s ribosomal subunit to prevent the formation of a functional bacterial 70s initiation complex for translation to occur
when is Linezolid active & when do we prescribe it?
highly active against gram positive organisms, but not gram negatives. active against MRSA and VRE.
we only prescribe it with consult with ID - may cause thrombocytopenia
what are some examples of quinolones?
ciprofloxacin
levofloxacin
moxifloxacin
what are some examples of nitroimadizoles?
metronidazole
tinidazole
how do quinolones (eg ciprofloxacin) and nitroimadizoles (eg metronidazole) work?
inhibit DNA synthesis
how do fluroquinolones work?
Act on alpha-subunit of DNA gyrase; bacteriocidal
what infections are fluoroquinolones used for?
UTIs, pneumonia, atypical pneumonia & bacterial gastroenteritis; especially gram negative
how does nitroimadizoles work?
Under anaerobic conditions, an active intermediate is produced which causes DNA strand breakage; bacteriocidal
what infections are nitroimadizoles used against?
Active against anaerobic bacteria and protozoa (e.g. Giardia)
how do rifamycins (eg rifampicin) work?
inhibit bacterial RNA synthesis; Inhibits protein synthesis by binding to DNA-dependent RNA polymerase thereby inhibiting initiation; bactericidal
what infections is rifampicin effective against?
certain bacteria, including Mycobacteria & Chlamydiae
what do you need to beware of when giving rifampicin?
- interactions with other drugs metabolized in liver (eg COCP)
- may turn urine or contact lenses orange
- resistance develops rapidly so don’t give by itself!
what is daptomycin?
a new abx that is a cyclic lipopeptide with activity limited to G+ve pathogens. Likely to be used like linezolid (eg MRSA, VRE)
what is colistin?
a new polymyxin antibiotic that is active against Gram negative organisms (including klebsiella and pseudomonas). Should be reserved for multi-drug resistant organisms.
what two antibiotics work by inhibiting folate synthesis?
Diaminopyrimidines
Sulfonamides
what two medications are combined in co-trimoxazole?
sulphamethoxazole+trimethoprim
when is trimethoprim used?
treating community acquired UTIs
what are the 4 mechanisms of developing antibiotic resistance?
1) chemical modification/inactivation of abx
2) modification/replacement of abx target
3) reduced antibiotic accumulation (impaired uptake or enhanced efflux)
4) bypassing the step in bacterial growth that is sensitive to the abx
how are Staphylococcus aureus and Gram Negative Bacilli penicillin resistant?
chemical modification/inactivation of abx –> beta lactamases
how is MRSA antibiotic resistant?
new mecA gene encodes a novel PBP (2a) with a low affinity for binding ß Lactams so the antibiotic is ineffective at therapeutic doses
what animals are the natural hosts for influenzae organisms?
birds
what antivirals are available for influenza?
1) Amantadine: Targets M2 ion channel, but a single amino acid mutation in M2 (S31N) renders virus resistant
2) Neuraminidase inhibitors and mode of administration:
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) oral
Relenza (zanamivir) inhaled
Peramivir iv
describe influenza vaccines in use today:
trivalent or quadrivalent inactivated vaccine given to those at risk which has a short-term strain specific immunity mediated by antibody to HA head. Required adjuvant to produce robust immune response.
Other option is tri or quadrivalent live attenuated vaccine given to children. Broader more cross reactive immunity including cellular response
what are the most common organisms in hospital acquired UTI?
Lactose fermenting - E Coli (MOST COMMON), also klebsiella spp
Non-lactose fermenting - pseudomonas
what is c. difficile?
a gram positive spore forming anerobe that usually infects in hospital or patients on antibiotics. The spores persist so that contamination can persist for long periods of time. This produces coilitis & diarrhea. Manage with metronidazole or vancomycin
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? flucloxacillin
gram positive
narrow spectrum
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? co-amoxiclav
gram positive; community gram negative; anerobes
broad spectrum
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? metronidazole
anaerobes
narrow spectrum
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? piperacillin-tazobactam
hospital gram negative; some gram positive; anaerobes; pseudomonas
(broad spectrum + anti-pseudomonal)
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? amoxicillin
gram positive, gram negative, anerobes
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? ciprofloxacin
mainly gram negative, ok for pseudomonas
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? gentamicin
gram negative
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? meropenem
hospital gram negative; gram positive; anaerobe; pseudomonas
(broad spectrum)
do we use this for gram positive or gram negative? colistin
hospital gram negative including carbapenem resistant
describe mycobacterium (in contrast to gram negative or gram positive):
- non-motile rod-shaped bacteria that grow slowly
- long chain fatty acids, complex waves, glycolipids in cell walls
- acid alcohol fast – stain on Ziehl-Neelsen and Auramine
name 3 slow growing non-TB mycobacterium:
M. ulcerans – causes slowly growing painless ulcer
M. marinum - swimming pool granuloma
M. avium intracellulare-
name 3 fast growing non-TB mycobacterium:
M. abscessus
M. chelonae
M. fortitum
what is the natural history of myco. TB?
primary phase - usually asymptomatic; will have ‘Ghon focus’
latent phase
reactivation
what changes do we see in pulmonary TB?
caseating granuloma
with changes in mediastinal LNs
often issue in upper lobe
what are the potential extra-pulmonary forms of TB?
- lymphadenitis - cervical LNs most commonly
- GI - swallowing of tubercles
- peritoneal - ascitic/adhesive
- genitourinary - becomes renal disease
- bone & joint - Pott’s disease
- miliary TB - progressive disseminated hematagenous TB
what is 1st line treatment for TB?
RIPE
Rifampicin - p450 inducer; can turn urine/lenses orange
Isoniazid - peripheral neuropathy, hepatotoxicity
Pyrazinamide - hepatotoxicity
Ethambutol - visual disturbance
Take all four RIPE drugs for 2 months, then just RI for 4 months. Cure rate is 90%
what drugs is multi-drug resistant TB resistant to?
rifampicin/isoniazid
what drugs is extremely drug resistant TB (XDR TB) resistant to?
rifampicin, isoniazid, fluoroquinolones, and at least 1 injectable antibiotic
what are the 4 potential routes of entry for meningitis?
1) hematogenous spread
2) direct implantation
3) local extension
4) PNS into CNS
what are the potential causative agents for meningitis?
Neisseria meningitidis Strep pneumoniae Hemophilus influenzae TB viruses cryptococcus neoformans
what are the potential causative organisms for an encephalopathy?
rabies virus prions amoeba trypanosomas Listeria monocytogenes Toxoplasmosis
what are the potential causative organisms for myelitis (spinal cord) or neurotoxin disturbance (CNS/PNS)?
myelitis - polio virus
neurotoxins - clostridium tetani, clostridium botulinum
what are the four aspects of meningicoccal septicemia?
1) capillary leak (albumin/plasma proteins –> hypovolemia)
2) coagulopathy (via protein C pathway; bleeding/thrombosis)
3) metabolic derangement (acidosis)
4) HF/multi organ failure
what are the 3 main types of meningitis?
bacterial
TB
viral (aseptic)
what is the most common form of CNS infection?
Aseptic meningitis. Coxsackievirus group B and echoviruses are responsible for 80-90% cases in which a causative organism of aseptic meningitis is identified.
It most frequently occurs in children younger than 1 year.
The clinical course of aseptic meningitis is self-limited and resolves in 1-2 weeks.
what can west nile virus cause & has been producing outbreaks of?
encephalitis
which organisms can produce a brain abscess?
- Streptococci (both aerobic and anaerobic)
- Staphylococci,
- Gram-negative organisms. (particularly in neonates)
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- fungi
- parasites
what are the risk factors for spinal infections?
- IVUD
- age (elderly)
- long-term steroid use
- diabetes mellitus
- malnutrition
- cancer
what is a normal CSF result?
appearance: clear
cells: 0-5 leukocytes
gram stain: negative
protein: 0.1-0.4
glucose: 2.2-3.3
spot diagnosis- CSF
appearance: turbid
cells: polymorphs
gram stain: positive
protein: 0.5-3.0 (low/normal)
glucose: low
purulent (bacterial) meningitis
what is a CSF result for bacterial meningitis?
appearance: turbid
cells: polymorphs
gram stain: positive
protein: low/normal
glucose: low
what is a CSF result for viral meningitis?
appearance: clear/slightly turbid
cells: lymphocytes
gram stain: negative
protein: high
glucose: normal
spot diagnosis- CSF appearance: clear/slightly turbid cells: lymphocytes gram stain: negative protein: high glucose: normal
viral meningitis
what is a CSF result for TB meningitis?
appearance: clear/slightly turbid
cells: lymphocytes/polymorphs/maybe acid-fast bacilli
gram stain: negative
protein: high
glucose: low
spot diagnosis - CSF: appearance: clear cells: lymphocytes & polymorphs gram stain: negative protein: high glucose: low
TB meningitis
what stains with indian ink stains?
cryptococcus
what is generic therapy for meningitis (i.e. before any CSF results)?
ceftriaxone 2g IV BD
(if >50 years old or immunocompromised, add amoxicillin 2g IV 4 hrly)
Once you know the exact causative organism, then you can change antibiotics to target that, if bacterial.
what is generic therapy for meningo-encephalitis?
aciclovir 10mg/kg IV TDS
ceftriaxone 2g IV BD
(if >50 years old or immunocompromised, add amoxicillin 2g IV 4 hrly)
Once you know the exact causative organism, then you can change antibiotics to target that, if bacterial.
if someone has really severe malaria, what treatment should be given asap?
IV artesunate
describe dengue fever:
aedes mosquito transports this flavivirus into humans - presenting with a rash in 50% of people. this is usually a mild self-limited illness worse at day 4-5 (shock, bleeding, organ impairment)
what is the management for dengue fever?
EXCLUDE MALARIA!
serology to confirm, and then supportive
what happens in typhoid fever?
High prolonged fever
Headache
Rose spots (rare)
low/normal WCC
how do we treat typhoid fever?
rx - ceftriaxone IV
what are pathological signs of mononucleosis?
EBV, CMV, HIV Tonsillar enlargement with exudates Atypical lymphocytosis Monospot IgM+ EBV/CMV
describe Rickettsial disease & diagnosis:
Fever, headache, myalgia +/- eschar
Obligate intracellular bacteria
Invades endothelial cells -> vasculitis
dx - serology
how do we treat Rickettsial disease?
doxycycline
name some examples of bacteriostatic & bacterioicidal antibiotics -
BACTERIOSTATIC: tetracyclines, macrolides, chloramphenicol
BACTEROCIDAL: aminoglycosides, penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, nitroimadizoles, rifamycins,
what is the difference between bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal antibiotics?
bacteriostatic - stops growth of bacterium; helps body to fight it off with natural immune system. good for rapidly growing infections
bacteriocidal - kills/lyses bacteria that are already exisiting and active so they cannot keep growing or propagate
name some protozoa -
malaria, leishmaniasis, trypsanosomiasis
name some helminth -
round worms (nematodes), tape worms (cesatodes), flukes (trematodes)
what is Chagas disease?
Trypanasoma cruzi :
- spread by triatomine bugs
- Cardiac disease: cardiomyopathy & arrhythmias
- GI Disease: achalasia, megacolon
what is Trypanasoma brucei?
sleeping sickness spread by tsetse flies
-often present late with neuro signs: drowsiness, sleep/wake cycle inversion, confusion, psych symptoms
how do we treat leischmaniasis?
pentavalent antimonials and prevention (not nets; but rather DEET and collars)
what is enterobius vermicularis?
threadworm infection
how do we diagnose threadworm infections?
sellotape slide test for eggs
how do you treat enterobius vermicularis (threadworm)?
mebendazole x2
what is toxocara canis?
visceral or ocular helminth invasion from dogs
- Non-specific presentation
- Eosinophilia
- Positive serology
- Treat with albendazole; steroids; surgery
how do people get hookworms?
through the skin - eg. walking barefoot - prevention is key!
We are a dead end host so they may wander the skin (cutaneous larva migrans) but will die eventually. Drugs can speed up this process.
what is a strongyloides infection?
Common cause of eosinophilia
Treatment/prevention like hookworm
Helminth
what happens in strongyloidiasis?
hyperinfection syndrome - HTLV-1; steroids; biologics (infliximab, entanercept)
Leads to bowel perforation, meningitis/encephalitis, or even death
what does hydatid disease cause?
usually liver cysts with few other symptoms
how do we treat hydatid disease?
long term medication with albendazole or praziquantel, aspirate the cyst and then inject the medication
what is katayama fever?
infection by schistosomiasis water snails into lungs causing cough, wheeze, urticaria, eosinophilia
what can chronic schistosomiasis infection cause?
hematuria, bladder cancer, diarrhea, colitis, weight loss, liver fibrosis, portal HTN, or spinal/cerebral disease