Spirochetes, Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma, and Chlamydia Flashcards
What are the three genre of spirochetes?
treponema, borrelia, and leptospira
What are the 5 species of treponema we discussed?
treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum, pinta, bejel, yaws, and non-pathogenic treponemes
What is treponema pallidum?
causative agent of syphilis
How is treponema pallidum transmitted?
it is sexually transmitted
How do we treat treponema pallidum?
penicillin!!
How is treponema pallidum tested for?
direct diagnosis by dark field examination of fluid from lesions (visualize living, moving spirochetes); direct fluorescent antibody tests; serologic screening tests; antibody tests, and reverse-sequence testing
What are pinta, bejel, and yaws?
they are treponemal diseases of importance in developing countries/continents
What are symptoms of pinta, bejel, and yaws?
primarily skin lesions
Are pinta, bejel, and yaws STDs?
NOOOO
What are non-pathogenic treponemes?
normal flora in oral cavity, genital regions, colon and rectum
What can borrelia cause?
relapsing fever and lymes disease
What is the relapsing fever carried by?
body lice and soft-bodied ticks
What is Lyme’s disease caused by?
Borrelia burgdorferi
What is Lymes disease transmitted by?
nymph stage of hard ticks; deer and white-footed mouse are reservoirs
What is a signature symptoms of Lyme’s disease? Other symptoms?
a target lesion at the site of bite; symptoms include “flu-like” illness that may progress to involve skin, nervous system, heart or joints
How can we diagnose Lymes disease?
serologic diagnosis
What is leptospirosis?
symptoms from mild “flu-like” illness to fatal renal failure (caused by leptospira)
What are the leptospira reservoirs?
wild and domestic animals, especially RATS
How is leptospira transmitted?
it lives in the renal tubules of infected humans/animals making urine contaminated soil, food, and water the mode of transmission
What is mycoplasma/ureaplasma?
an organism that causes bovine pleural pneumonia; can pass through filters
What are mycoplasma’s characteristics?
1) pleomorphic organisms that do not possess cell wall
2) smallest prokaryotes capable of self-replication
3) resistant to cell-wall active antibiotics like penicillins and cephalosporins
4) can’t be gram stained
How do we cultivate mycoplasma?
they are slow growing, highly fastidious, aerobes requiring complex media for growth
What are the 3 common mycoplasma species?
M. pneumoniae, M. hominis, and M. genitalium
Where is M. pneumoniae found?
upper and lower respiratory pathogen; found in young adults on college campuses, military barracks, and nursing homes
What can M. pneumoniae cause?
“walking pneumonia”; usually self-limiting
How do we diagnose M. pneumoniae?
serology, PCR, culture can take 5 to 21 days
How do we treat M. pneumoniae?
erythromycin and tetracycline
Where is M. hominis found?
it colonizes the genital tract of 50% of healthy adults
What does M. hominis?
upper genitourinary tract infections in females, salpingitis, pyelonephritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and postpartum fevers
How do we treat M. hominis?
tetracycline and spectinomycin
What can M. genitalium cause?
genital tract infections including urethritis, cervicitis, endometritis, and pelvic inflammatory disease
How do we treat M. genitalium?
azithromycin
Where does the ureaplasma species reside?
the male and female genital tracts
What can ureaplasma cause?
non-gonococcal urethritis and prostatitis in men and upper genitourinary tract infections in women; associated with reproduction disorders and low birth-weight infants with respiratory disease
What are the characteristics of the chlamydia spp?
1) resemble gram-negative rods
2) obligate intracellular parasites (can’t generate ATP)
3) prefer mucous membranes
4) can be cultivated in susceptible tissue (cell culture)
What are the three main chlamydia spp?
C. trachomatis, C. psittaci, and C. pneumoniae
How does C. trachomatis represent?
leading cause of preventable blindness in some countries due to causing conjunctivitis; LGV serogroups L1-3 cause STDs; serogroups A and K cause cervical and urethral infections, PID, infertility, and premature/still birth
How do we treat C. trachomatis?
tetracycline and erythromycin
What is C. psittaci?
organism found in wild birds; disease can activate if passed to human hands
How do we treat C. psittaci?
erythromycin and tetracycline
What is C. pneumoniae?
recently recognized pathogen that is cause of 10% of pneumonia cases and 5% of bronchitis and sinusitis; possible involvement in asthma and CAD
How do we treat C. pneumoniae?
tetracycline and erythromycin
