Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract Flashcards
Approximately how many bacteria are there in the GI tract?
1014
Where are the majority of the bacteria in the GI tract found?
In the colon
What is the name given to the bacteria in the GI tract?
Normal flora
What are the beneficial roles of normal flora?
- Synthesise and excrete vitamins
- Prevent colonisation by pathogens
- Kill non-indigenous bacteria
- Stimulate the development of GALT
- Stimulate production of natural antibodies
What vitamins are synthesised and excreted by the normal GI flora?
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B12
- Thiamine
How does the normal GI flora prevent colonisation by pathogens?
- Space
- Bacteriosides
What aspect of the normal GI flora kills non-indigenous bacteria?
Bacteriosides
What are the possible ways of categorising bacteria?
- Cocci or Bacilli
- Gram positive or negative
- Aerobic or anaerobic
- Obligate or faculative
- Do they form protective endospores or not?
- Can they stick to surfaces using pili and/or slime
Give two examples of bacteria that can form protective endospores?
- Bacillus Anthrax
- Clostridium Tetani
What is true of obligate aerobes?
They must have oxygen
Give two examples of obligate aerobes?
- Pseudomonas
- Mycobacterium TB
What is true of obligate anaerobes?
They die in the presence of oxygen
Give two examples of obligate anaerobes
- Bacteroides fragilis
- Clostridial organisms
Why may clostrial organisms be able to survive in oxygen?
They form protective spores
What is true of facultative anaerobes?
They prefer oxygen, but can live without it
Give two examples of facultative anaerobes?
- Gram -ve enteric bacteria, such as E. coli
- Gram +ve skin-dwellers such as Staphylococcus
Where are the anaerobic zones in the GI tract?
- Parts of mouth
- Small bowel
- Colon
What parts of the mouth are anaerobic?
- Tounge
- Deep in taste buds
- Biofilm between teeth
- Gingival crevice areas
What can bacillus cause?
Anthrax
What are the characteristics of bacillus?
- Bacilli
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of bacteroides fragilis?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Anaerobic
What are the characteristics of bordetella pertussis?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Non enteric
What are the characteristics of brucella?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Non enteric
What are the characteristics of campylobacter?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of clostridia?
- Bacilli
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
Give 3 subspecies of clostridia?
- Tetani
- Perfringens
- Difficile
What does corynebacterium cause?
Diphtheria
What are the characteristics of corynebacterium?
- Bacilli
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of E. coli?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of enterococci?
- Cocci
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of haemophilis influenzae?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Non enteric
What are the characteristics of H**elicobacter pylori?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of klebsiella?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of lactobacillus?
- Bacilli
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of mycobacterium TB?
- Bacilli
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
- Acid fast
What are the characteristics of neisseria meningitides?
- Cocci
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of neisseria gonorrhoeae?
- Cocci
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of proteus?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of pseudomonas?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of salmonella?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of shigella?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What are the characteristics of staphylococci?
- Cocci
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of streptococci?
- Cocci
- Gram +ve
- Aerobic
What are the characteristics of vibrio cholerae?
- Bacilli
- Gram -ve
- Aerobic
- Enteric
What is the consequence of the mouth having many anaerobic bacteria?
They can cause very nasty or fatal infections
What anaerobic bacteria found in the mouth can cause infections?
- Streptococci mutans
- Staphylococci aureus
- Candida Albicans
- Lactobacillus
- Enterococcus
What infection can streptococcus mutans cause in the mouth?
Dental caries / gingivitis (dental plaque)
What infection can staphylococcus aureus cause in the mouth?
Parotitis
What infection can Candida Albicans cause in the mouth?
Oral thrush
What is Noma / Cancrum Oris?
Tissue destruction in the mouth caused by bacteria
In whom may bacteria cause Noma / Cancrum Oris?
- Malnourished
- Dehydrated
- Immunocompromised
- Systemically unwell patients
What bacteria is found in the nose?
- Staphylococcus
- Streptococcus
- Many others
What are the sites for MRSA screening?
- Nose
- Throat
- Perineum
Why are the nose, throat and perineum used for MRSA swabbing?
These are the three sites where Staphylococci are found
What bacteria and fungi are found in the throat?
- Strep. Viridans
- Strep. Pyogenes
- Strep. Pneumoniae
- Staphylococci
- Neisseria Meningitidis
- Haemophilus Influenza
- Lactobacilli
- Corynebacterium Diptheriae
- Candda Albicans
What kind of bacteria is Strep. Viridans?
Non-pathogenic throat commensal
What % of people have Strep. Viridans present in their throat?
100%
How may Strep. Viridans get into the bloodstream?
During teeth brushing, dental procedures and general anaesthesia
What is it called when there is bacteria in the bloodstream?
Bacteraemia
What does Strep. Pyogenes cause?
Tonsillitis
What % of tonsillitis cases are accounted for by Strep. Pyogenes?
30%
What accounts for the 70% of tonsillitis cases not caused by Strep. Pyogenes?
Viral