Syke's infectious diseases - bacterial Flashcards
What specie(s) of tick(s) transmit Ehrlichia canis?
Rhipicephalus sanguineus (primary); Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis spp. ticks, and Dermacentor spp. ticks; experimental transmission has been accom- plished with Dermacentor variabilis ticks
What specie(s) of tick(s) transmit Ehrlichia ewingii?
Amblyomma americanum
What infectious organism(s) does Rhipicephalus sanguineus transmit?
Ehrlichia canis, Babesia canis, Rickettsia ricketsii
What infectious organism(s) does Amblyomma americanum transmit?
Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chafeensis, Francisella tularensis, Rickettsia ricketsii
What cells does Ehrlichia infect?
leukocytes – Ehrlichia canis (monocytes), Ehrlichia ewingii (granulocytes), Ehrlichia chafeensis (monocytes)
What are the phases of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME)?
acute (8-20 days after infection); subclinical (months to years); chronic
Where does Ehrlichia canis multiply/replicate?
multiplies by binary fission within vacuoles of mononucear phagocytes –> rupture of infected host cells leads to infection of new cells
Why might a dog infected with Ehrlichia have a negative immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test?
antibodies can only be detected 7-28 days after initial infection – false-negative may occur if tested too soon
T/F: A positive serum antibody titer for Ehrlichia indicates infection.
False - may reflect previous exposure and not necessarily disease
What test is more sensitive than immunofluorescent antibody or ELISA testing for acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis?
whole-blood PCR assys for E. canis DNA
Why are fluoroquinolones not recommended for treatment of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis?
Ehrlichia canis appears to have intrinsic gyrase-mediated resistance to fluoroquinolones
What cutaneous signs have been associated with canine monocytic ehrlichiosis?
petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages (occur d/t thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction)
What ticks are known to transmit Rickettsia ricketsii?
Dermacentor variabilis (american dog tick), Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky mountain wood tick), Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma aureolatum
What organism causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever? Characteristics of the organism?
Rickettsia rickettsii, an obligately intracellular bacteria
What is the characteristic clinical sign of Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
disseminated vasculitis –> cutaneous macules, papules, petecchia
What cells does Rickettsia ricketsii infect?
primarily infects endothelial cells (smooth muscles and monocytes may also be infected)
T/F: Rocky Mountain spotted fever has three phases: acute, subclinical, and chronic.
False - Ehrlichia has three phases, RMSF causes an ACUTE disease
What tests are used to aid in diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
convalescent antibody titers (2-3 weeks apart), PCR testing (during acute phase), biopsy – shows vasculitis and organisms around vessels – with direct IFA or Gimenez stain
What antibiotics can worsen the course of Rocky Mountain spotted fever?
trimethoprim sulfonamides
T/F: Staphylococcus spp. are strictly aerobic bacteria.
False - facultative anaerobes
What is coagulase?
enzyme that cleaves fibrinogen into fibrin –> results in coagulation of plasma
What is the mecA gene?
located on a large genetic element (staphylococcal casette chromosome) –> encodes an altered penicillin binding protein (PBP2a)
what are the members of the S. intermedius group?
Staph. Intermedius, Staph. Pseudintermedius, Staph. Delphini
Scalded skin syndrome has been reported in people with what organism? Pathogenesis?
Staph. Aureus –> strains that produce an exfoliative toxin, which hydrolyzes the intercellular glycoprotein desmoglein-1
How does inducible clindamycin resistance occur?
bacterial methylation of the ribosomal binding site for clindamycin
How can you test for inducible clindamycin resistance?
D-zone test – culture organism in the presence of erythromycin and clindamycin disks; organisms near the erythromycin disk express enhanced resistance to clindamycin –> results in a D shape to the zone of inhibition around the clindamycin disk
Staph strains that possess the tetracycline efflux protein tetK may still be susceptible to what tetracycline antibiotic?
minocycyline
Staph strains that posses tetM are resistant to which tetracyclines?
All tetracyclines (including minocycline) – tetM protects the ribosome from tetracycline binding
What layer of the cell membrane is much thicker in gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria?
peptidoglycan layer
What additional cell membrane structures are present in gram-negative bacteria?
complex outer membrane that contains lipopolysaccharide as well as porins (regulate transport of molecules in and out of the cell)
What are the components of lipopolysaccharide?
lipid A backbone, core oligosaccharide, O antigen side chain
What component of the cell membrane of gram negative bacteria is called endotoxin?
lipid A component - phosphorylated disaccharide to which long, hydrophobic fatty acid chains are attached (anchors LPS into the outer membrane); Is the biologically active portion of the molecule –> stimulates a potent host inflammatory response
Examples of gram-negative cocci? Where are they found on the body?
Moraxella, Neisseria – commensals of the oral cavity of dogs and cats
Two categories of gram-negative rods?
Enterobacteriaceae (E. coli, Proteus, Salmonella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Serratia, Klebsiella) and non-Enterobacteriaceae (Pasteurellaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter)
Virulence factors of Enterobacteriaceae?
capsule (K antigen), flagella (H antigen)
Virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa?
exotoxins, type III secretion system, LPS, pili, flagella, proteases, phospholipases, iron-scavenging mechanisms such as pyoverdin production, biofilms (almost every type of virulence factor!!!)
Mechanisms of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa?
production of beta-lactamase enzymes (can include ESBLs), antibiotic efflux pumps, enzymes that modify aminoglycosides or later antibiotic binding sites (such as DNA gyrase for fluoroquinolones), and decreased bacterial permeability
Characteristics of actinomyces? Normal site of inhabitance?
anaerobic or microaerophilic, filamentous, gram-positive bacteria; tan to yellow colonies; normal inhabitants of mucous membranes
Typical route of infection with actinomyces?
inoculation into tissues with other bacteria, often as a result of deeply penetrating wound or foreign body migration
Differential diagnoses for actinomycosis?
mycobacterial infections, streptomycosis, nocardiosis, bartonellosis, fungal infections, neoplasia
Clinical signs associated with actinomycosis?
subcutaneous masses and draining skin lesions (cervicofacial and cutaneous-subcutaneous disease); pulmonary nodules/masses/effusion; abdominal effusion/masses
Appearance of Actinomyces on cytology?
filamentous rods; gram-postive, non-acid fast filamentous organisms that are occasionally branched – filaments are less than 1 um wide, vary in legnth, and can stain irregularly –> produces a “beaded” appearance