Microbiology Flashcards
What is the VDRL test composed of?
Mixing the patients serum with a mixture of cardiolipin, cholesterol, and lecithin antigens. Aggregation or flocculation (clumping) indicates the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies in the patient’s seum. This is a positive syphilis test.
Note that anticardiolipin Abs is NOT specific to treponema. It can also be seen in TB, Lupus, etc.
What is the pathogenesis of the C. diff enterotoxins?
2 toxins, A and B bind to receptors on intestinal mucosal cells and are internalized. They inactivate Rho-regulatory proteins involved in signal transduction and actin cytoskeletal structure -> disruption of intercellular tight junctions -> increased paracellular fluid secretion.
widespread inflammation and neutrophil recruitment -> apoptosis
Which spreads more rapidly - measles (rubeola) or Rubella (togavirus)?
Rubella.
BOTH start on the face and spread down but rubella often spreads faster and doesn’t darken/coalesce. Question stems will likely make note of this.
They might also make a point to state that there is posteriorauricular lymphadenopathy to clue you in to rubella
What is the classic triad of congenital rubela?
Congenital cataracts
Sensorineural deafness
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Which virus family bud through and acquire the lipid bilayer envelope from the host cell nuclear membrane?
Herpesviruses (which include CMV!)
_____ prevent bacterial cell wall synthesis by inhibiting peptidoglycan synthesis.
Vancomycin and Bacitracin
_____ prevent bacterial cell wall synthesis by inhibiting peptidoglycan cross-linking.
Penicillins, Cephalosporins, Carbapenems
How do penicillins work?
D-Ala-D-Ala structural analog AKA a beta-lactam ring!: bind penicillin binding proteins (transpeptidases) and therefore block transpeptidase cross-linking of peptidoglycan in the cell wall.
How does vancomycin work?
Inhibits cell wall peptidoglycan formation by binding D-Ala D-Ala of cell wall precursors. They are NOT susceptible to beta-lactamases.
What sexually transmitted disease causes multiple extremely painful ulcers termed chancroids with a gray yellow exudate?
H. ducreyi
Organisms often clump in long parallel strands “school of fish”
What IS an acid fast stain? What organisms are acid fast +?
hydrochloric acid and alcohol after staining with carbolfuschin an aniline dye
Hepatic abscessed in developmental countries are likely to be _______ in origin, while in underdeveloped countries they are ________ in origin.
Developed = bacterial (e.g. staph aureus) Underdeveloped = parasitic (entomoeba histolytica, echinococcal).
What is viral phenotypic mixing?
When a host cell is coinfected with 2 viral strains and progeny virions contain unchanged parental genome from one strain nucleocapsid (or envelope) proteins from the other strain.
Because there is no change in the underlying viral genomes (i.e. no genetic exchange), subsequent progeny will revert to having only one type of surface protein.
Pneumonia-like sx + hyponatremia and/or diarrhea and/or neuro symptoms =?
Legionella
Severe coughing spells with post-tussive emesis = ?
Pertussis (whoopingcough)
This would be the “paroxysmal”/second phase of the infection
How does staph aureus evade phagocytosis?
Synthesizes protein A in its peptidoglycan cell wall that binds the Fc portion of IgG preventing opsonization/binding of complement.
Pneumonia + hepatitis = ?
Pneumonia + hepatitis + undulating fever = ?
Pneumonia + hepatitis = Q fever (coxiella)
Pneumonia + hepatitis + undulating fever = Brucella
What is the most common cause of viral meningitis? What will you find in the CSF?
Enteroviruses (e.g. coxsackie, polio, echovirus)
What 3 organisms present with rashes on the hands and feet?
- Syphilis (treponema pallidum)
- RMSF (rickettsia rickettsii)
- Hand foot mouth (coxsackie A)
_______ can make dextran from sucrose allowing it to adhere to sites of endothelial or valvular damage via fibrin and platelet adhesions.
Strep viridans (green jester on the donkey in sketchy video)
Hepatitis ___ infections can cause an aversion to smoking.
A
So. weird.
What can HPV in men cause (esp in immunocompromised patients)?
Anal squamous cell carcinoma - a visible ulcerative mass that causes pain, itching, and rectal bleeding
An organism being “PYR positive” is the same thing as saying it is ______ sensitive.
Bacitracin-sensitive
e.g. Strep pyogenes
______ is a highly contagious disease that presents with an intensely pruritic rash (usually worse at night) in the flexor surfaces of the wrist, lateral surfaces of fingers and palms.
Excoriations with small, crusted, red papules scattered around affected areas.
Scabies
Diagnosis is confirmed with skin scrapings from excoriated lesions that show mites, ova, and feces under LM.
What are the 3 primary organisms causing necrotizing fasciitis?
- Strep pyogenes
- Staph aureus
- C. perfringens
Group B strep and A. hydrophila also possible
_________ caused by ________(organism) is characterized by a blanching sand paper/goose pimple rash that appears on the neck, armpits, and groin and then generalizes to the body sparing the mouth (circumoral pallor). It is also often associated with a grey-white exudate pharyngitis.
Scarlet Fever
Strep pyogenes
What is the most common cause of fungal meningitis?
Cryptococcus neoformans
How will Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) present and what lab findings will you see?
Corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics develop an allergic sensitivity to aspergillus. ABPA patients will have very high serum IgE, eosinophilia, and IgG Abs to aspergillus.
Can progress to bronchiectasis.
Hep B ______ is necessary for Hep D infection.
Surface antigen (surface antigen coats the Hep D viral particles)
Fungus in Great Lakes = ?
Blastomyces dermatidis
Cat bites most commonly transmit which 2 organisms?
- Pasteurella multicoda
2. Bartonella henselae
Dog bites most commonly transmit which 3 organisms?
- Pasteurella multicoda
- Streptococci
- Staph aureus
Fungus caused by bats = ?
Histoplasma capsulatum (remember the sketchy scene in the cave with the scientist and canary!)