Normal microbiota of female GU tract

Question 1

Lactobacillus

Answer 1

Female GU tract
- Gr+ rod
- Nonendospore-forming 
- Normal microbiota mouth, stomach, intest.,*GU
- Facultative anaerobe (to anaerobe)
- Acidophilic  ~pH 4
- Lactic acid major fermentation product
-Some strains make H2O2
- Causes progression of caries, endocarditis
- *most common bug in *anterior urethra
Virulence
- *catalase
- overall not very virulent

Question 2

Mycoplasma

Answer 2

Female GU tract
- *Smallest free-living prokaryotes
- Mucosal pathogens
- human reservoir some mouth, GU normal microbiota
- **Lack CW → pleomorphic
  -Extremely susceptible to desiccation
- CM contains **sterols
-Facultative anaerobe to aerobe
- *Mycoplasma hominis, M. genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum 
- can cause vaginosis, urethritis (and male urethritis), cervicitis, endometritis, PID, postpartum or postabortion fevers
Lab
- Fastidious (lots of requ)
- *tiny "fried egg" colonies

Question 3

Gardnerella vaginalis

Answer 3

Female GU tract
a. Gr+ (‘Gram variable’) rod 
     i. Can be pleomorphic
b. Nonendospore-forming, non-motile, unencapsulated 
c. Normal microbiota GU
d. β-hemolytic
e. Anaerobe to facultative anaerobe
a.Forms biofilms in vagina → causes vaginosis
Virulence
- biofilms
Labs
- * Clue Cells
- Fastidious
   - CO2, blood agar

Question 4

Streptococcus agalactiae

Answer 4

Female GU tract
a. Gr+ coccus, chains
b. **GBS
c. 10-35% females normal microbiota GU, GI 
d. Opportunist
e. Capsule
    h. **Sialic acid, 9 antigenic types
f. β-hemolytic
g. Facultative anaerobe
h. Catalase -
a. **A leading cause meningitis, septicemia neonates
b. causes Peripartum chorioamnionitis, bacteremia, Infections in immunocompromised
Virulence
a. Capsule (sialic acid)
b. C5a peptidase
c. Pore-forming exotoxins
    a. β-hemolysin
    b. CAMP factor
Labs
a. **CAMP +
b. **hippurate hydrolysis +
c. **bacitracin resistant

Question 5

Candida albicans

Answer 5

Female GU tract
a. **Dimorphic fungus
b. Ubiquitous- air, water, soil
c. Normal microbiota skin, mouth, GI, GU
d. Opportunist
a. Risk factors: Antibiotics, ↓CMI, diabetes, elderly, catheter
Virulence
a. Adhesins
b. Proteinases,
c. Phospholipases 
d. Biofilms
e. Dimorphic
Labs
c. **Germ tube test 
    - produces *true hyphae