Module 5: Chapter 16 Flashcards
16.1 The Skin and its Defenses
the skin, together with the nails, hair, sweat and oil glands, forms the ___________ system.
integument
total surface area of skin
1.5-2 square meters
layers of skin from outer to inner
epidermis (stratum corneum) -> dermis -> subcutaneous layer
composition of the epidermis (four or five distinct layers)
outer to inner
stratum corneum (dead cells that have migrated from the deeper layers - packed with keratin, layer replaced every 25-45 days)
below the stratum corneum are three or four more layers of epithelial cells
the lowest layer, stratum basale or basal layer: attached to the underlying dermis and is source for all of the cells that make up the dermis
importance of keratin
gives epithelial cells ability to withstand abrasion, damage, and water penetration
thickest skin is found on the _____________ and the thinnest is on the __________
- plantar of the foot
2. eyelids
dermis layer (middle layer)
composed of connective tissue (instead of epithelium)
- means it is rich in fibroblast cells and fibers such as collagen
- contains macrophages and mast cells
- harbors a dense network of nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels
—> damage to the epidermis generally does not result in bleeding, whereas damage deep enough to the dermis results in broken blood vessels.
*blister formation, the result of friction trauma, or burns, represents a separation between the dermis and epidermis
—> roots of hair are housed in follicles in the dermis, sebaceous oil glands and sweat glands are also in the dermis
____________ of cells from the stratum corneum slough off every day, and attached microorganisms are also sloughed off
millions
one of the most effective defenses of the skin is a class of molecule called \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. ---> they are positively charged chemical that act by disrupting the negatively charged membranes of bacteria; chiefly responsible for keeping the antimicrobial count on skin relatively low
antimicrobial peptides
sebum
low pH, oil-based secretion of the sebaceous glands (due to high concentration antibodies); makes the skin inhospitable to many microorganisms
lipids in sebum can serve as nutrients for normal microbiota, but breakdown of the fatty acids contained in lipids leads to toxic by-products that do what?
inhibit the growth of microorganisms not adapted to the skin environment
why is sweat inhibitory to microorganisms?
because of its low pH and its high salt concentration
—> lysozyme is an enzyme found in sweat (and tears and saliva) that specifically breaks down peptidoglycan
- 1 outcomes
- describe the important anatomical features of the skin
- list the natural defenses present in the skin
- keratin in the epidermis - protects the skin from damage, abrasion, and water penetration
- collagen in the dermis for withstanding stretching - -antimicrobial peptides
-low pH (sweat)
-sebum
-high salt and lysozyme in sweat
sloughing off of microbes from stratum corneum
16.2 Normal Biota of the Skin
microbes that live on the surface of the skin must be capable of living in what conditions that are on the skin?
salty and dry conditions
microbes can grow into dense populations in what places
moist areas and skin folds such as the underarm and groin areas
normal microbiota also live in the protected environment of the ________ follicles and ______ ducts
hair
glandular
fascinating info about skin normal biota
hundreds of species of microbes including well known pathogens inhabit out epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous skin layers
also common for different species to favor different areas of our bodies, and for different people to have different species
—> seems common for an individual’s microbiota to remain relatively constant over time
common fungal colonizers of skin
dermatophytes
skin defenses
keratinized surface, sloughing, low pH, high salt, lysozyme, antimicrobial peptides
normal biota of skin
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Propionibacterium, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus; yeasts such as Candida
- 2 outcomes
1. list characteristics of the skin’s normal microbiota
- hundreds of species of microbes including some pathogens inhabit the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous skin layers
- different species favor different areas of the body
- different people have different species
- common for individuals’ microbiota to remain relatively constant over time
16.3 Skin Diseases Caused by Microorganisms
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
common cause of skin lesions in non-hospitalized people, and hospitalized patients are more likely to acquire systemic infections, bloodstream infections from MRSA)
-even though the name mentions methicillin, the stain is resistant to multiple antibiotics
Staphylococcus aureus r/t MRSA
S. aureus- gram-pos coccus, nonmotile
- much of its destructiveness is due to its array of superantigens
- can be highly virulent BUT also appears as normal biota on the skin of one third of the population
-strains that are methicillin-resistant also found on healthy people
- considered the sturdiest of all non-endospore-forming pathogens
- –> well-developed capacities to withstand high salt (7.5%-10%), extremes in pH, and high temps (60degrees C for 60 minutes)
- –> also remains viable after months of drying and resists the effect of many disinfectants and antibiotics
signs + symptoms of MRSA
infections of the skin tend to be raised, red, tender, localized lesions, often featuring pus, and feeling hot to the touch
—> may localize around a hair follicle
*fever is a common feature
transmission and epidemiology of MRSA
common contaminant of all kinds of surfaces you touch daily; on gym equipment, shavers, airplane tray tables, electronic devices
Pathogenesis and Virulence Factors of MRSA (S. aureus)
all pathogenic S. aureus strains typically produce coagulase, an enzyme that coagulates plasma (highly diagnostic species characteristic)
other enzymes expressed by S. aureus include hyaluronidase (digests intracellular “glue”), staphylokinase (digests blood clots), nuclease (digests DNA), and lipases that help bacteria colonize oily skin surfaces
Culture and dx of MRSA
PCR is routinely used to diagnose
- alternatively cultivation on blood agar is useful for dx
- for heavily contaminated specimens, selective media such as mannitol salt agar are used
- the production of catalase, an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide accumulated during oxidative metabolism, can be used to differentiate the staphylococci, which produce it, from the streptococci which do NOT
- key technique for separating S. aureus from other species of Staphylococcus is the coagulase test: by definition any staph isolate that coagulates plasma is S. aureus, all others are coagulase-negative
Prevention and Tx of MRSA
prevention is only possible with good hygiene
- tx of infection often starts with incision of the lesion and drainage of pus
- antimicrobial tx should include more than one antibiotic (current rec’d in US: vancomycin, linezolid, or daptomycin)
summary of MRSA (gram +)
- most common modes of transmission: direct contact, indirect contact
- virulence factors: coagulase, other enzymes (staphylokinase etc.), superantigens
- culture/diagnosis: PCR, culture and gram stain, coagulase and catalase tests, multitest systems
- prevention: hygiene practices
- tx: vancomycin, linezolid, or daptomycin; serious threat in CDC Ant. Resistant Report
- epidemiology: community associated MRSA infections most common in children and young to middle aged adults; incidence increasing in community/decreasing in hospitals