Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Year One - Principles of Disease > Microbiology > Flashcards

Microbiology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three domains of life?

A

Bacteria

Archaea

Eucarya

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Is bacteria a prokaryote or a eukaryote?

A

Prokaryote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Is archaea a prokaryote or a eukaryote?

A

Prokaryote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Is eucarya a prokaryote or a eukaryote?

A

Eukaryote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the five causes of infection?

A

Parasites

Fungi

Bacteria

Viruses

Prions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are parasites?

A

Organisms that live in, with or on another organism and derives its nutrients at the expense of the host.

They can be vector of infection or cause vectors themselves.

Eukaryotes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are fungi?

A

Saprophytic (get energy from dead and decaying matter) and spore producing organisms.

Eukaryotes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are bacteria?

A

Round, spiral or rod-shaped single celled organisms.

Prokaryotes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are viruses?

A

Unique, single celled metabolically inhert organisms.

Only replicate within living cells.

Unclassified

Most viruses have a specific host range and only infect specific host cell types - tissue tropism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are prions?

A

Prions are proteins of unknown function found on the surface of brain cells.

Unclassified

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the two sites that we can collect culture from?

A

Sterile - blood, CSF, brain cells

Non-sterile - skin cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What culture site is more significant when identifying infections?

A

Sterile sites

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the advantages of microscopy when identifying infections?

A

Rapid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the disadvantages of microscopy when identifying infections?

A

Not a specific technique

Clarify results with other forms of tests

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the four types of microscopy?

A

Light - identifies all infections, except viruses

Unstained - views all WBCs and parasites

Gram stain - views bacteria and fungal cells

Special stains (Ziehl Neelsen/Auramine) - mycobacteria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a healthcare associated infection?

A

The onset of infection following 48 hrs of admission into hospital or recent healthcare contact

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a virion?

A

Extracellular form of a virus. Exists outside host and facilitates transmission from one host to another.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Describe the structure of a virion.

A

Consist of a nucleic acid, which has virion associated polymerase attached to it.

Nucleic acid is surrounded by a protein caspid.

Some virions have a lipid envelop around the protein caspid. Lipid envelope has proteins in attached to it which are made from the host cell’s materials and allow them to evade the immune system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What four things classify virus families?

A

Virion shape

Presence of envelope

Genome structure

Mode of replication

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Describe the process of virus replication.

A
  1. The virus antigens attach to the host cell’s surface
  2. The virus enters the host cell and is uncoated, which means that its lipid envelope is removed if it has one
  3. The virus then inserts its nucleic acid into the host cell’s DNA. The host cell’s DNA is then replicated, which means that the virus’s nucleic acid is also replicated

4 .The virus’s genes are then transcribed init mRNA and then translated into viral protein coats

  1. The new nucleic acid then enters the newly formed protein coats to produce several viruses. These viruses then burst out of the host cell by undergoing lysis.
  2. The cycle continues
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the multiple routes of virus transmission?

A

Blood-Borne

Sexually

Vertical

Faecal-Oral

Droplet

Close Contact

Vector-Borne

Zoonotic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What happens when a virus can infect humans and other animals?

A

Different strains of the virus can arise in the different types of organisms. These strains can connect and recombine in the one organism and generate a new strain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the features of influenza A virus?

A

An example of an acute viral infection.

The virus infects cells of the respiratory tract and alter cytokine expression. This results in feverish symptoms.

If they destroy the respiratory epithelium, it can lead to secondary bacterial infections.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How do variations of viruses arise?

A

Antigenic shift - abrupt, major changes in virus antigenic structure

Antigenic drift - minor changes in the genes that occurs gradually over time to generate antigenic variants

25
What are enteroviruses?
Viruses the are shed in respiratory secretions, stool and sometimes are present in blood and CSF of infected patients. Infection is transmitted by direct contact with respiratory secretions or stool.
26
What is a latent virus infection?
A type of persistent viral infection. Latency is the phase in viruses life cycle after initial infection where proliferation of the virus stops. However, the viral genome is not eradicated. This means that it can be reactivated without the host becoming re-infected.
27
What is an example of a latent virus infection?
Herpes simplex virus
28
What is an asymptomatic viral infection?
An infection is considered asymptomatic if a patient is a carrier for a disease or infection but experiences no symptoms
29
What is are virus-induced tumours?
Viruses replicate their nucleic acid into host cells and lead to abnormalities that result in tumour formation. These abnormalities include modulating cell cycle or apoptosis.
30
What are the four consequences of viral infection?
Clearance of virus leads to no short or long term immunity It can result in chronic infection or cancer. It can result in latent infection The virus can undergo antigenic variation - leads ti long term infection
31
Which group of patients are latent viruses more likely to affect?
Immunocompromised
32
Name the five methods used to detect viruses.
Microscopy - detect whole virus Culture - detect whole virus ELISA - detect antigens on the surface of the virus Extraction of genetic material - detect the viral DNA/RNA Immune response
33
Are all antiviral agents virustatic or viricidal?
All are virustatic, which means that they stop the growth of viruses
34
Are side effects to antiviral therapy common?
Yes
35
What can antiviral therapy used for?
Prophylaxis - to prevent infection Pre-emptive therapy - evidence go infection or replicated detected before symptoms are apparent Overt disease - symptoms are apparent Suppressive therapy - keep viral replication below the rate that causes tissue damaged in an asymptomatic infected patient
36
What are the five ways in which we can prevent viral infection?
Immunisation - actively through vaccinations or passively through antibodies Prophylactic treatment post exposure - intended to prevent future infection Infection prevention and control measures Blood, tissue or organ screening Antenatal screening
37
What are the three main types of parasites?
Protozoa Helminths Ectoparasites
38
What are protozoa?
Microscopic, single-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature Able to replicate in humans and can live within the intestine, blood or tissue If they live in the intestine they are transmitted through faecal-oral route. However, if they live in the blood or tissue, they are transmitted through an insect vector.
39
What is an example of a protozoan infection? Describe its features?
Malaria. A mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite called plasmodium. The plasmodium has to spend part of their lifecycles in humans (intermediate host) so that they can develop into male and female forms which are ready to infect a mosquito (definitive host).
40
What are two other protozoal infections?
Amoebic dysentery, which is transmitted via the faecal oral route Leishmaniasis, which is transmitted via a vector
41
What are the three divisions of the helminth category?
Nematodes (roundworms) Cestodes (tapeworms) Trematodes (flatworms)
42
How are nematodes transmitted? Name two examples.
Faecal-oral route Pinworm. Parasite lays eggs in perianal folds. The embryonate eggs are then ingested by the human and hatch in the small intestine. The adult larvae then migrate to the perianal region to lay eggs. Cycle continues. Ascaris lumbricoides. Infection leads to developmental delay in children and can cause severe complications due to the roundworms obstructing the bowel.
43
How are custodies transmitted? Name two examples.
Eating raw/undercooked meat. Beef and pork tapeworms. Both tapeworms have two hosts; cattle and pig (intermediate host) and humans (definitive host). The tapeworm eggs in faeces are passed into the environment. Cattle and pigs become infected by ingesting the eggs. The humans then ingest the infected meat. In the small intestine, the tapeworms develop into adults and lay eggs. The eggs are passed out in the faces. Cycle continues.
44
How are termatodes transmitted? Name an example of a trematode.
Freshwater Schistosoma, which causes schistosomiasis in humans. This parasite needs to spend part of its lifestyle in a snail (intermediate host) so that it can develop into a larval form. This larval form can penetrate the skin of a human, which is the parasites definitive host and where it will undergo sexual maturity.
45
What are ectoparasites?
Parasites that live outside the body.
46
Name the five methods we can use to detect parasites.
Blood microscopy Stool microscopy Eosinophillia & IgE levels Serology Rapid Diagnostic Tests
47
Are fungi present in and on our body normally? When do they start to cause problems?
Yes. When they increase in numbers and when individuals are immunocompromised
48
Describe the structure of a fungus?
Cell wall contains polysaccharides and is able to absorb nutrients Cell membrane contains lipids, such as ergosterol
49
How do we classify fungi?
Based on morphology - structure The way that they produce spores
50
What are the three main groups of fungi?
Basidiomycetes Ascomycetes Zygomycetes
51
What types of spores do all three groups of fungi produce?
Sexual and asexual, sexual spores are the ones that cause disease in humans
52
What are basidiomycetes?
Fungi that have a main body called the basidium, which is the reproductive organ of the fungi and therefore involved in spore-production
53
What are ascomycetes?
Fungi that form an ascus, which is a sac-like structure that contains the ascopsores. Therefore, spore production occurs in the sac
54
What are zygomycetes?
Rough-walled zygotes, with their rough cell wall producing spores
55
What are yeasts?
Yeasts are single-celled fungi. They divide through an asexual process known as budding. They belong to all three of the classifications.
56
What are dermatophytes?
A pathogenic fungus that grows on skin, mucous membranes, hair, nails and other body surfaces. They cause ringworm and related diseases.
57
How do we treat dermatophytes?
Drugs or topical treatments that contain enzymes that degrade keratin. This is because keratin is needs for the growth of the dermatophytes.
58
What are candida?
Type of yeast that cause candida infections in seriously immunocompromised hosts and unusual endocrine and immune dysfunction.
59
How can we detect fungal infection?
Histopathology CT scans

Year One - Principles of Disease (15 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions