Tuberculosis Flashcards
How many of the 2 billion infected people with tuberculosis have HIV?
1.1 million
How likely is TB to cause death?
Second leading cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide
- 3 million deaths annually
- 3 million HIV positive
74 000 children
Describe the trend in incidence of TB before and after 1980?
Until mid-1980s TB in the UK was declining and considered to be under control
Where are 39% of TB cases in the UK?
London
What is the microrganism responsible?
Mycobacteria
What are the specific names for the organisms responsible for TB?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
M. bovis (“bovine TB”)
What are the other mycobacterium that don’t cause tb?
Mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT) (about 30% of UK isolations)
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (HIV)
M. kansasii, M. malmoense, M. xenopii
Mycobacterium leprae leprosy
Describe the type of bacterium that Mycobacterium tb is?
Non-motile bacillus
Very slowly growing
Aerobic - predilection for apices of lungs (ventilated but not perfused)
Very thick cell wall lipids, peptidoglycans, arabinomannans
Resistant to acids, alkalis and detergents
Resistant to neutrophil and macrophage destruction
Aniline based dyes such as carbol fuschin complex with cell wall
Unable to remove dye from cell wall
Acid - and alcohol - fast bacilli (AAFB) (Ziehl Neilson stain)
What is the source of TB?
‘Open’ pulmonary TB = coughing and sneezing releases respiratory droplets which evaporate. These droplet nuclei remain airborne for very long periods.
What removes mycobacteria in outdoors?
UV radiation and infinite dilution
Which type of droplet nuclei impact in the alveoli and slowly proliferate?
Small nuclei, Larger droplet nuclei impact on large airways and cleared
How is infection of mycobacterium bovis spread?
Consumption of infected cows’ milk
- deposited in cervical, intestinal lymph nodes
What stimulates the macrophages to become activated?
Th1 helper cells from the lymph node, these Th1 cells are activated by antigen presenting cells.
These Th1 cells after receiving the signal from the antigen presenting cell then clonially proliferate in the lymph node
What are Th1 cells?
Type 1 T helper (Th1) cells produce interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-beta, which activate macrophages and are responsible for cell-mediated immunity and phagocyte-dependent protective responses.
Which specific chemical activates Macrophages?
Interferon gamma CD40 - which is produced by Th1 cells in the lymph node
What is the result of activated macrophages?
Damaged epithelioid cells
Langhan’s giant cells
Accumulation of macrophages, epithelioid & Langhan’s cells GRANULOMA
Central caseating necrosis (may later calcify)
What disease is caseus necrosis usually indicative of ?
TB
What is meant by the 2 edged sword of the Th1 cell mediated immunological response?
Eliminates / Reduces number of invading mycobacteria
Tissue destruction is a consequence of activation of macrophages
What are the factors affecting susceptibility?
Genetics
Race
Nutrition
Age
Immunosuppression
What is the pathology for a susceptible host?
Tissue destruction
Proliferation of organism
Progressive disease
What is the pathology for a resistant host?
Tissue destruction
Organism contained
Disease
Who is normally affected by the primary infection?
Usually children, 80% Infected focus in alveolus, (lymph nodes, gut)
Where do mycobacteria spread to once they are in the alveoli?
Spread via lymphatics to draining hilar lymph nodes
Then there is haematogenous seeding of mycobacteria to all organs of the body (lung, bone, genitourinary system)
What are the symptoms of TB?
Usually no symptoms, can be fever, malaise, Erythema nodosum (sarcoidosis also causes this), rarely chest signs
What is the mantoux test?
Injection of tuberculin into the transdermal layer of skin. After 48-72 hours amount of induration present can identify possible health problems.
What is responsible for the induration in the mantoux test?
Intra dermal administration of tuberculoprotein (PPD - Purified protein derivative) results in lymphocytic and macrophage based area of inflammation/induration after 48 hours