Mycoplasmas Flashcards
What are some defining characteristics of Mycoplasmas?
Smallest free-living microbes.
Lack cytochromes, enzymes of Krebs cycle, and cell walls.
Require growth factors acquired from host.
Can colonize mucous membranes of respiratory and urinary tracts
What are some characteristics of Rickettsias?
Extremely small, appear almost wall-less, obligate intracellular parasites.
What does R. rickettsii cause? Transmission?
Rocky mountian spotted fever. Transmitted by body louse feces.
What are some characteristics of Chlamydias?
Do not have classic cell walls, but two membranes without any peptidoglycan between them. Grow and multiply only within the vesicle of host cells. Development cycle involving two forms, elementary bodies and reticulate bodies.
What does Chlamydia trachomatis cause?
- STD Lymphogranuloma veneruem.
2. Ocular decease Trachoma
what are some characteristics of Spirochetes?
Thin, tightly coiled, helically shaped. Endoflagella, move in corkscrew fashion.
What does Treponema pallidum pallidum cause? Special characterisitc?
Causes syphilis, Congenital syphilis (snuffles, hutchinsons teeth, saddle-nose, saber shin). Cant be grown on artificial media.
What are some characteristics of Borrelia? Causes?
Lightly staining, gram negative spirochetes. Causes lime disease and relapsing fever.
What does Borrelia burgdorferi cause?
Lime disease.
What are some characteristics of Leptospira interrogans? Causes?
Found in wild and domestic animals. Most widespread Zoonotic disease in the world. Causes Leptospira (Weil’s disease).
What are some characteristics of Vibrio cholerae?
Large amount to infect. Cholera toxin is virulence factor, causes increase in cAMP, releasing electrolytes
What are some characteristics of Campylobacter jejuni?
Many animal reservoirs. infection by consuming containated food, milk, or water. Infection produce bloody and frequent diarrhea.
What are some characteristics of Helicobacter pylori?
Causes gastritis and causes most of duodenal ulcers. Cofactor of stomach cancer. Produces potent urease that produces ammonia and bicarbonate so it can live in harsh conditions of stomach.
