Systemic spirochetes Flashcards

1
Q

Describe how spirochetes appear microscopically. Do they gram stain? Do they grow in vitro?

A

Spirochetes are spiral-shaped organisms that exhibit corkscrew motility, don’t gram stain, and grow SLOWLY in in vitro or not at all.

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2
Q

What are the three geneses of pathogenic spirochetes?

A
  1. Treponema (pallidum and carateum) - all susceptible to penicillin, all have same serological responses in humans
  2. Borrelia - zoonotic infection
  3. Leptospira - zoonotic infection.
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3
Q

Can T. Pallidum be grown in culture?

A

NO

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4
Q

Can Borrelia be grown in culture?

A

yes - it is fastidious and microaerophilic

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5
Q

Can Leptospira be grown in culture?

A

Yes - aerobically in the right media

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6
Q

Borrelia burgdorferi - what disease does it cause?

A

Lyme disease: tick born

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7
Q

What is the tick that carries Lyme disease? The animals that are important to the life cycle of this tick?

A

Ixodes scapularis
Ixodes dammini

Reservoirs: white footed mice and white-tailed deer

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8
Q

Describe the clinical manifestations of lyme disease

A

Early infection (STAGE 1): localized infection - ERYTHEMA MIGRANS (bulls eye rash) at site of tick bite

Early infection (STAGE 2): dissemminated infection - secondary annular skin lesions, systemic symptoms such as severe malaise and fatigue. BELLS PALSY.

Late infection (STAGE 3): persistant infection: arthritis (like one knee), meningoencephalitis, neuropathies.

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9
Q

How do you diagnose Lyme Disease?

A

Clinically: have erythema migraines or a late manifestation

Laboratory: At least one of: isolation of B. burgdorferi, Diagnostic levels of IgM or IgG antibodies to spirochetes, or significant increase in antibody titer between acute and convalescent serum samples (4x rise in titer). Serologic: ELISA - only good to detect Lyme disease from here, not europe (different strain)

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10
Q

What is the therapy for Lyme Disease?

A

Oral antibiotics for stage 1: doxycycline

Stage 2: may need IV antibiotics

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11
Q

Is lyme disease forever?

A

No. It is probably reinfection.

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12
Q

What bug can cause a similar rash to Lyme Diseases’s erythema migraines bull’s eye?

A

Southern Tick-associated Rash Illness (STARI) - by lone star tick Amblyomma americanum

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13
Q

What causes relapsing fever? how do you define relapsing fever?

A

Borrelia sp - Recurrent episodes of fever separated by asymptomatic intervals

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14
Q

What is the difference in vector and reservoir of relapsing fever that is epidemic and endemic

A

Epidemic relapsing fever: human reservoir, body louse vector

Endemic relapsing fever: rodent/soft-shelled tick reservoir, soft-shelled tick vector

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15
Q

How is Borrelia recurrent transmitted?

A

From person to person by LICE. No animal reservoir, only occurs in epidemic form.

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16
Q

How is Borrelia hermsii transmitted?

A

From animals to humans by ticks. Animal reservoir. Endemic form only.

17
Q

What is the key clinical feature of distinguishing LICE born vs. TICK born recurrent fever?

A

LICE: greater jaundice and CNS involvement than TICK.

18
Q

What causes Leptospirosis?

A

The spirochete Leptospira

19
Q

How is leptospirosis spread?

A

Excrete leptospira in urine into water => infect animals and humans

20
Q

What is the clinical presentation of leptospirosis?

A

acute febrile illness (along with conjunctival suffusion - reddening of the conjunctiva due to increased blood flow) and or meningitis

21
Q

What is a major complication of leptospirosis?

A

Weil’s disease: jaundice and renal failure when infected with leptospirosis.