Skin Infections Flashcards
Steps of skin infections
- exposure to pathogens
- Adherence to skin or mucosa
- invasion thru epithelium
- Colonization and growth
- Toxicity effects or invasiveness
- Tissue damage
Factors that could contribute to wound becoming infected..
- dose of bacteria
- virulence of the organism
- Vascular integrity
- Immune system strength
Bacteria on skin that prevent pathogen attachment and outcompete
Staphylococcus epidermis
Skin disease resistance mechanisms (5)
- dry layer regenerating with keratinocytes
- cell secrete antimicrobial peptides and lysozyme
- lactic acid and fatty acids produced by sebaceous glands
- Lots of salt
- Sweat glands cool off the body
Keritinocytes (skin cells)
sentinels detecting pathogens and damage associated molecular patterns
What parts of the skin can become infected?
epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis
Folliculitis
Hair follicle infection
Abscess
localized collection of pus created by host defense to prevent spreading
Cellulitis
involves all layers of skin, leads to fever, and occassionally causes bacteremia
Gangrene
advanced cellulitis with significant tissue necrosis & death
Osteomyelitis
bone infection often due to contamination of open fractures
Most common skin condition
Acne vulgaris
How is acne caused?
follicles trap sebum and dead epithelial cells which clogs pore. Lipases digest the surplus of trapped oil, which leads to inflammation.
How do we treat acne?
Doxycline which is a ribosome inhibitor
Impetigo
superficial bacerial infection common in children causing the skin to flake off
Bacteria that cause impetigo
streptococcus pyogenes
Staph aureus
How can we distinguish between staph bacteria types?
Coagulase
Staph aureus is coagulase positive
How can we distinguish between staph and strept?
Staph is catalase positive and strept is catalase negativeq
What type of hemolysis is streptococcus pyogenes?
beta, group A
How is strept pyogenes spread?
fomites (normally on skin or respiratory)
How does strept pyogenes penetrate into deeper layers?
proteases like hyalurondiase and exotoxin B
How do we treat streptococcus pyogenes
penicillin
Necrotizing fasciitis
flesh eating infection
What causes necrotizing fasciitis?
many microbes
Group A streptococcus
Clostridium perferinges (gas gangrene)