Spirochetes I (Borrelia) Flashcards

1
Q

What are the general characteristics of Spirochetes?

A
  • Long, slender, spiral-shaped
  • Gram negative
  • Tightly coiled and look like miniature springs or telephone cords
  • Motile - axial filaments similar to flagella
  • Extracellular organisms
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2
Q

How is the Membrane and Cell wall of Spirochetes different from regular Gram Negative bacteria?

A
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2
Q

How is the Membrane and Cell wall of Spirochetes different from regular Gram Negative bacteria?

A
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3
Q

How are Spirochetes Classified?

A
  • Genus: Borrelia (8-16 mcm)
    • vector-borne (tick and louse)
    • 15-40 flagella
  • Genus: Treponema (3-8 mcm)
    • T. pallidum, transmitted by close contact
  • Genus: Leptospira (6-20 mcm)
    • Hooked end, pathogenic and free living
    • 2 flagella
  • Genus: Brachyspira
    • 6-10 flagella
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4
Q

What is the Pathogenesis of Spirochetes?

A
  • Extracellular pathogens
    • Migrate from the site of infection to other parts of body via blood an lymph
  • Antigenic variation
    • important method to evade host response
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5
Q

How is a Spriochetes infection diagnosed?

A
  • Clinical signs and case history
  • Microscopy
    • Dark field
    • Fluorescent antibody
    • Giemsa or Wright’s stain
  • Antibody tests
    • Western blot, ELISA
    • Paired serum sample analysis
      • acute and convalescent
  • PCR
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6
Q

How is a Spirochetes infection treated?

A
  • Doxycycline
    • Drug of choice
  • Penicillin
  • Erythromycin
  • Tetracycline
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7
Q

What are the important diseases are caused by Spirochetes?

A
  • Vector-borne diseases
    • Ticks
    • lice
  • Lyme Disease
    • Human, Dogs, Horses, Cattle, Cats
  • Avian Borreliosis
  • Relapsing Fever - Humans
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8
Q

What is the cause of Lyme Disease?

A
  • Borrelia burgdorferi
  • Transmitted by:
    • Ixodes scapularis
    • Ixodes pacificus
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9
Q

What are the signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease?

A
  • Tick Bite
  • Clinical symptoms start ~7 days in humans
    • Fever
    • Malaise
    • Fatigue
    • Stiff neck
    • Headache
  • “Bull’s eye” Rash
    • Erythema Migrans
    • Pathogen disseminates from the site of tick bite via lymphatic and blood circulation
  • Arthritis:
    • Intermittent swelling and joint pain
    • Muscle pain and depression
  • Neurological manifestations
    • Lymphocytic meningitis
    • Cranial neuropathy
    • Sleep disturbances
  • RARELY fatal
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10
Q

What animals can B. burgdorferi cause infections in ?

A
  • Humans
  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Cattle
  • Horses
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11
Q

How does Lyme Disease affect Dogs?

A
  • Loss of appetite and fever
    • 104 - 105F
  • Lethargy
  • “shifting lameness”
  • Kidney damage
  • Heart disorders
  • Neurological symptoms
    • aggression
    • Delirium
    • Seizure
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12
Q

How does Lyme disease affect Cats?

A
  • Fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Fatigue
  • May show lameness
  • Eye infection
  • irregular breathing
  • Some infected cats maybe asymptomatic
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13
Q

How does Lyme Disease affect Cattle?

A
  • Many do not show any visible clinical signs
  • Fever
  • Laminitis
  • Weight Loss
  • Lameness
  • Swollen Joints
  • Skin Rash may be present on the udder
  • B. Burgdorgeri May be found in urine, colostrum, blood, milk, synovial fluid and in aborted fetal tissues
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14
Q

How des Lyme Disease affect Horses?

A
  • Mild to no fever
  • May have lameness or stiff joints
  • Laminitis
  • depression
  • Loss of appetite
  • Blindness or partial loss of vision
  • Abortion
  • Neurological signs
    • Head tilt
    • Aimless wandering
    • encephalitis
  • Transplacental transmission have been reported
    • Newborn colts my display birth defects
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15
Q

How is Lyme disease Diagnosed?

A
  • Tick bite and clinical signs
  • PCR of skin biopsy
  • culture?
15
Q

How is Lyme disease Diagnosed?

A
  • Tick bite and clinical signs
  • PCR of skin biopsy
  • culture?
16
Q

How is Lyme Disease Treated?

A
  • Doxycycline
  • Erythromycin
  • others
17
Q

What are the Prevention options for Lymes Disease?

A
  • Vaccine - Lyme Bacterin
18
Q

What can be done to protect humans from ticks?

A
  • Apply tick repellants
  • Wear light-colored clothing
    • tuck pants into socks
  • Conduct body search
  • Remove ticks carefully
    • Never squeeze, crush, or puncture
19
Q

What is Avian Borreliosis (Fowl Spirochetosis) caused by?

A
  • B. anserina
    • Transmitted by fowl tick (Argas Persicus)
  • Affects Chickens, ducks, turkey, and geese
20
Q

What is Avian Borreliosis?

A
  • B anserina can be isolated from the Blood, spleen, liver, intestine, and kidney
  • Severe hemolytic disease
    • Septicemia
    • Fever
    • Diarrhea
    • Drowsiness
    • Emaciation
21
Q

What causes Tick-borne Relapsing Fever?

A
  • B. hermsii
  • B. turicatae
  • B. parkeri
  • several others
22
Q

That happens during Relapsing Fever?

A
  • Tick-borne or Louse-borne
  • Recurrence of elevated temperatures and flue like symptoms every few days
  • Pathogen changes surface proteins to stay ahead of antibodies
23
Q

What is Treponema pallidum?

A
  • Causative agent of syphilis
  • Mode: sexual contact
  • Infection: site of infection and spreads to other organs
    • Can damage:
      • Brain / nerves
      • eyes
      • heart / blood vessels
      • Liver
      • Bones / joints
  • Lesion:
    • Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary
  • Treatment: Penicillin