Section 1 TOXINS Flashcards
What are most exotoxins made of?
Most exotoxins are proteins so the immune system can produce antibodies
Are exotoxins fatal?
Many exotoxins are so powerful that fatal damage can occur before an immune
response is mounted
How can exotoxins be denatured?
Heat
Exotoxins are released by every major Gram positive genera except?
Listeria
Do exotoxins have generalized or specific targets?
Exotoxins have specific targets, they do not usually cause fever or generalized
inflammation
What do neurotoxins cause?
Paralysis
Where do enterotoxins act and what do they cause?
Act on GI tract and cause diarrhea
*Inhibit NaCl secretion or kill epithelial cells resulting in osmotic pull of fluid into lumen
Does Botulism (caused by Clostridium botulinum) cause Flaccid or Spastic paralysis?
Flaccid
Does Tetanus (caused by Clostridium tetani) cause Flaccid or Spastic paralysis?
Spastic Paralysis
Where do Cytotoxins act and what do they cause?
Damage variety of cell types by either interfering with cell mechanisms or causing
cell lysis
What to Pyrogenic toxins do?
stimulate release of cytokines causing rash, toxic shock
syndrome
What do Tissue Invasive Toxins do?
destroy and tunnel through tissues
True or False, Endotoxins are destroyed by an autoclave?
False. Endotoxins are heat stable
What is the immune response to an endotoxin?
Innate immune response and therefore no specific
target
True or False: Exotoxins and endotoxins are proteins?
False; Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharide
