Mycobacteria Flashcards
What are Mycobacteria?
Aerobic, non-spore forming, nonmotile rods
Which stain is used for Mycobacteria?
Acid-fast stain: uses phenol to force cells to complex with the dye and once stained, the cells resist decolorizing even with a strong decolorizer
Gram stain crystal violet and safranin are unable to penetrate the cell wall lipids, giving a false NOS result
Which organisms are in the M. tuberculosis complex?
M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. africanum
All three can cause TB
What are the three different types of tuberculosis?
Primary: an infection in a previously uninfected individual through inhalation of droplets
Secondary: an infection caused by latent organisms when a host becomes debilitated
Active: causing disease in lungs, meninges, kidneys, bones, and/or genital tract
What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?
granulomas, coughing, hemoptysis, weight loss, and fever
What are granulomas?
tumor-like inflammatory lesions that form with necrotic centers resembling soft cheese; called tubercles when cause by TB
What is miliary TB?
disseminated TB with scattered tubercles in the body
Skin test for TB
a purified protein derivative (MTB antigen) is injected into the skin and infected people will have a red, indurated area at the injection site
What is a con for the TB skin test?
It cannot distinguish between people with active disease and those with latent infections
M. avium complex diseases
M. avium and M. intracellulare are in the complex and are the most common cause of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) infections; can cause pulmonary disease and mycobacterial lymphadenitis; can cause gastrointestinal or disseminated disease in people with AIDS
M. fortuitum complex diseases
Contains M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, and M. abscessus; can cause wound infections, abscesses, osteomyelitis, and pulmonary infections
M. haemophilum diseases
causes skin ulcers, lymphadenitis, and disseminated disease; it requires hemin, hemoglobin, or ferric ammonium citrate for growth
M. kansasii diseases
common cause of NTM pulmonary disease
M. leprae diseases
causes leprosy/Hansen’s disease which affects skin, PNS, and mucous membranes
M. leprae diagnosis
It does not grow in vitro; PCR test from tissue is available and AFB stain shows “cigar packet” appearance
M. marinum diseases
causes swimming pool granuloma when damaged skin comes in contact with fresh or salt water; leads to red, tender subcutaneous nodules that should be biopsied
M. scrofulaceum diseases
causes scrofula (inflamed neck lymph nodes)
M. ulcerans diseases
causes skin ulcers fro, mycolactones mostly in 5-15 yr olds; Africa- Buruli ulcers; Australia- Bairnsdale ulcers
Which mycobacterium is a common lab contaminant?
M. gordonae (tap-water bacillus)
What are the general steps of AFB processing?
- Concentrated w/ centrifugation (15 min @ 3000g or 1500 rpm)
- Decontamination to remove flora
- Digestion to free mycobacteria from clumps of protein and sediment during concentration
NALC-NaOH
a commonly used combination to digest and decontaminate specimen; N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC) digests mucus and NaOH decontaminates
A phosphate buffer is added to neutralize NaOH after decontamination
Specimen Processing Procedure
- Place 5-10 mL of specimen in a tube and add an equal amount of NALC-NaOH
- Vortex and let sit for 15 minutes
- Add phosphate buffer and centrifuge
- Decant supernatant and resuspend the sediment with saline
- Use this liquid for plates and smear
What are the different methods for AFB staining?
Ziehl-Neelsen/Hot method, Kinyoun stain/cold method, and fluorochrome stain
Ziel-Heelsen Method of Staining
- Flood smear w/ carbolfuchsin and then heat until it has steamed several minutes
- Allow the slide to cool and then rinse with water
- Decolorize with 3% acid alcohol, rinse, counterstain w/ methylene blue and rinse
- Air dry the slide
Kinyoun Method of Staining
Same steps as Ziel-Heelsen, but without heating because it has a carbolfuchsin reagent with a higher concentration of phenol and basic fuchsin