Spirochetes Flashcards
What type of shape to Spirochetes have?
Helicoid, with flagella wrapped around them.
Name the 3 important genus of spirochetes and diseases they cause
- Treponema - syphilis, yaws, pinta.
- Borrelia - Relapsing fever and Lyme disease.
- Leptospira - Leptospirosis
Gram stain of Treponema palladium?
Has G- structure but can’t see it on light microscopy!
Can you grow Treponema palladium on culture?
Nope!
What do you do to keep Treponema palladium organisms alive for a few days?
Put them in very rich media (albumin, serum) in anaerobic conditions.
T/F: Treponema palladium can survive heat, drying, soap, and water?
FALSE
How are Treponema Palladium transited?
SEX
What causes “congenital syphilis” and how does it present?
Cause: infected mother to child.
Presents: still birth, abortion, syphilis lesions on baby.
What is the incubation of T. palladium syphilis?
2-6 weeks.
What is the name of a primary syphilis lesion, when does it present? When does it heal?
CHANCRE
Presents 1-4 weeks after infection
Heals 1-5 weeks after it appears.
What is a secondary syphilis lesion? When does it appear?
Generalized skin rash, appears 2-20 weeks after primary lesion.
What are 2 complications of secondary syphilis infection?
Arthritis, renal dysfunction.
What are tertiary syphilis lesions called and where do they occur?
Called a Gumma, occur on aortic valve of heart, CNS.
What technique is used to demonstrate organs in the lesions?
Darkfield examination of exudate.
What antibody test reacts with cardiolipin to detect syphilis?
Wassermann antibody.
At what stage of syphilis infection are serological tests positive?
Late primary
What is the VDRL (venereal disease research lab) test consist of?
A flocculation test (clumping on a slide) with cardiolipin.
Describe the 3 steps of the FTA - ABS test.
- Patient’s serum absorbed with non-pathogenic treponemes.
- Serum is then added to a slide with T-pallidum, washed.
- Addition of a fluorescent antibody for visualization.
Which is the major syphilis test used at DHMC?
ELISA
What is the name of the test where antibody from the patient reacts in the presence of compliment with living T. Pallidium, causing the organism to lose motility?
TPI (treponema pallidum immobilization)
Which 2 conditions can lead to a false positive syphilis test?
Infectious mononucleosis, malaria
Do they use PCR for syphilis testing?
NOPE
What antibiotic do you use to treat syphilis?
Penicillin
Is there a vaccine for syphilis?
NOPE
This treponemal disease is transmitted through open sores of the skin. Often in children. Patients show positive syphilis test, primary lesion looks like a raspberry.
Yaws
A disease common among children in Syria, caused by T. Pallidum endemicum, treated with penicillin.
Bejel
Disease of Central and South America, caused by T. catateum. Causes flat, non - ulcerating lesions of hands, feet, and scalp.
Pinta
What 2 bacteria are mostly responsible for causing relapsing fever?
B. Recurrentis, B. Hernsii
Which borrelia species is endemic in western USA?
B. Hernsii
Which Borrelia species is transferred human to human via the bloody louse?
B. Recurrentis
What is the course of disease of relapsing fever?
- Fever for 4-5 days.
- Afebrile 7-10 days.
- 3-10 relapses before full recovery.
What stain is used to identify borrelia organisms?
Wright’s stain
Name 2 antibiotics used to treat Borelia infections.
Penicillin, tetracycline.
What is the most common tick bourne disease in the US?
Lyme Disease
What is the major reservoir of lyme disease?
White footed mouse
How many virulent plasmids does B. burgdorfi carry?
7 linear and 2 cirsular.
What causes lyme disease?
Borelia Burgdorfi
Name the 3 stages in the pathogenesis of lyme disease.
- Papule with expanding erythema 3 - 14 days after bite. Headache, fever, stiff neck, malaise.
- Various neurological and cardiac involvements.
- Migrating episodes of arthritis that can last years.
What diagnostic test is used for Lyme disease?
ELISA
What drug is used to treat Lyme disease?
Tetracycline
Is there a vaccine for Lyme disease?
Used to be one containing OspA, not anymore.
What material does B. Buergfordi not have a requirement for?
IRON
How is Leptospirosis transmitted to humans?
Infected urine of rats and dogs
Is leptospirosis arthropod-bourne?
NO
Which organs does leptospirosis generally invade? (4)
Liver
Kidneys
meninges
conjunctiva
What are the symptoms of Leptospirosis?
Muscle pain, photophobia, fever, chills.
What is the name of the disease caused by one serotype of Leptospira that causes infection jaundice, renal failure, and hepatic injury.
Weil’s disease
What 3 drugs are useful against leptospirosis
Penicillin, erythromycin, tetracyclines
Is there a vaccine for leptospirosis?
NO
