Mycobacterium Flashcards
What is a disease caused by mycobacteria?
TB
What is the rate of growth of M. tuberculosis? What does it invade? What is its oxygen requirement?
Slow growing
Macrophages
Obligate aerobe
What are two forms of TB?
primary and secondary
Describe primary TB
mild
starts from the lung
formation of granulomas, followed by caseation
Describe secondary TB
caused by reactivation of dormant organism.
Delayed-type hypersinsitivity reaction to the reactivated org
How does primary TB differ in immunocompromised individuals?
the granuloma/caseation proceeds to miliary TB with dissemination to other body sites, bone marrow, spleen, kidney and CNS
How does the x-ray differ in two forms of TB?
primary - outline, macrophage
secondary - apex, mid lung
What is the Ghon complex?
Granuloma caused by multinucleated cells, fused macrophages, T cell, fibroblast –> caseous necrosis
What is Miliary TB? What type of patients is this seen in?
White nodules, smaller than granulomas. Seen in HIV patients
How are MTB infections transmitted?
aerosols
What is significant about MTB cell wall? What does it do?
Waxes in cell wall. provides resistance to drying and chemicals, germicides
affects permeability of cell - nutrients can’t get in - slow growth
What is used to ID Mycobacteria?
Acid fast stain
What are two main chemicals used in acid fast stain?
Carbolfuchsin
Acid alcohol
What color is Mycobacteria seen as after acid fast stain? What is the reason for that?
Bright red because of the wax that does not get destained with acid alcohol
What is a medium used to ID M. tuberculosis?
Lowenstein-Jensen
Middlebrook 7H10
What component of the acidic wax is toxic?
Mycolic acid (beta-hydroxy fatty acid linked to murein)
Where does MTB grow?
Macrophages and monocytes