Oral ecology

Question 1

What are the steps of pathogenicity

Answer 1

Enter​

Attach​

Colonise​

Evade host immunity​

Produce harmful proteins​

Disseminate​

Release from host

Question 2

What is a microbiome

Answer 2

A microbiome includes all the microorganisms in a particular ecosystem.

The term is sometimes used to describe the community of microorganisms in a particular place.

Sometimes it is used to describe the total of the genetic material of the microorganisms in a particular ecosystem.​

Question 3

Howmany species of microbes do we house in our bodies

Answer 3

Around 10,000

Question 4

What are the benefits of normal flora

Answer 4

1. Synthesize and excrete vitamins
   Vitamin K and Vitamin B12
2. Prevent colonization by pathogens
3. May antagonize other bacteria
4. Stimulate the development of certain tissues (intestines, lymphatic tissue etc)
5. Stimulate the production of cross-reactive antibodies.​

Low levels of antibodies produced against components of the normal flora are known to cross react with certain related pathogens, and thereby prevent infection or invasion.

Question 5

What are possible negative effects of not having a present healthy flora

Answer 5

Mice raised in a germ-free environment display:​

Decreased nutrient absorption​

Less developed intestines​

Vitamin deficiency​

Underdeveloped immune system​

Heighted sensitivity to pathogens

Question 6

What barriers deter microbes from entering the gut

Answer 6

Low pH​

Saliva and Bile​

Immune system​

Finding a place to attach to intestinal wall​

Surviving a widely varied diet

Question 7

How does dieting alter the type of bacteria in our bodies

Answer 7

Slimmer people have more bacteriodetes and less firmicutes than those who possess more fat

Question 8

What is the hypothesis of differential energy consumption

Answer 8

Differences in gut microbial ecology among humans affects the efficiency of their energy harvest/storage when consuming a given diet​

Question 9

What influence do therapeutics have on the microbiome

Answer 9

Anttibiotics - Kills infectious bacteria but also disrupts natural flora. Can result in yeast infections, digestive problems, etc.

Chemotherapy - Gut flora has been shown to modify some drugs during metabolism. This causes many side effects, including upset stomach.

Question 10

What is the germ theory of disease

Answer 10

The microbe must be present in every case of the disease

The microbe must be isolated from the diseased host and grown in pure culture

The disease must be reproduced when a pure culture is introduced into a susceptible host

The microbe must be recovered from an experimentally infected host

Question 11

Who created the germ theory of disease

Answer 11

Koch’s postulates

Question 12

What factors reduce microbes within the oral cavity

Answer 12

Saliva, pH, temperature, immune system, oral antibiotics inhibit growth, tooth brushing, flossing