Week 3 - MGS Flashcards
STDs, Orchitis, Tumours, Penis
What bacteria causes syphilis? and how is it transmitted?
Treponema pallidum
- body fluids –> skin/mucosa
- vertical transmission (placenta to newborn)
- bacteria CANNOT survive outside the body (i.e. direct contact required)
What is the characteristic lesions present in syphilis?
proliferative endarteritis
- vascular damage
- chronic inflamm - plasma cells**
What is chancre?
- primary phase of syphilis (3wks)
- ulcerated papule
- resolve spontaneously*
- highly infectious!
What are the 3 stages of syphilis?
- primary (3wks)
- chancre –> ulcerated papule; resolves spontaneously, highly infectious* - secondary (months)
- following healing of primary chancre
- recurrent lymphadenopathy
- palmar rash
- condyloma lata (painless, moist plaques)
- highly infectious*
- resolves without Tx usually - tertiary (years)
- 5-20yrs
- gumma - necrotising granuloma
- CVS* + CNS involvement –> aortitis (AR); neurosyphilis
- tabes dorsalis
- general paresis
- aortic aneurysms* (80%)
What are 2 forms of neurosyphilis and what stage are they seen?
- tabes dorsalis –> demyelination of posterior cord tracts (proprioception, vibration, discriminative touch)
- general paresis –> chronic inflammation of the brain and meninges and is characterized by memory loss, muscle weakness, personality changes, progressive dementia, seizures, and generalized paralysis
* seen in tertiary syphilis
What is condyloma lata?
-moist painless plaques which occur as a manifestation of secondary syphilis
What are the possible outcomes for congenital syphilis?
intrauterine –> rash, liver + lung fibrosis, 8th nerve deafness, interstitial keratitis, hutchinson teeth
What are hutchinson teeth?
-sign of congenital syphilis. –babies with this have teeth that are smaller and more widely spaced than normal and which have notches on their incisors
What are non-treponemal antibodies directed against?
cardiolipin
- present in bacteria AND in our bodies
- usually only in early phase (not in tertiary phase)
What are the 2 tests for non-treponemal antibodies?
- VDRL (venereal disease research lab)
- RPR (rapid plasma reagin)
* non-specific; false positive; only early phase
What are the treponemal antibody tests?
- FTA-ABS (fluorescent treponema antibody)
- TP-PA (TP particle agglutination)
- MHA-TP (microhemagglutinin assay)
What is the purpose of non-treponemal Ab tests?
- non-specific to bacteria
- used for SCREENING purposes only
- diagnostic confirmation achieved by treponemal Ab specific testing (FTA-ABS, TP-PA, MHA-TP)
How is syphilis diagnosed via direct detection?
- darkfield microscopy
- PCR*
- culture
What is the most common and second most common STI?
1 = chlamydia 2 = gonorrhoea
How is gonorrhoea transmitted?
- only in humans
- person to person
- vertical transmission on birth (passage)
What are the Sx. of gonorrhoea?
- stick to epithelia, incubation 1-14days –> then penetrate and cause Sx:
- fever, pain, inflammation, dysuria, discharge (white pus)
- urethritis, conjunctivitis, cervicitis, proctitis, pharyngitis, iritis –> “ITIS”
- dysuria, mucopurelent discharge –> PID
What bacteria causes gonorrhoea?
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
-gram negative diplococci (intracellular - within neutrophils)
What are the complications of gonorrhoea?
- stricture –> urethritis, proctitis (dysuria) –> PID
- fibrosis of pelvic region –> “frozen pelvis”
What is nongonococcal urethritis commonly caused by?
- chlamydia** (commonest)
- trichomonas vaginalis
- ureaplasma
- mycoplasma genitalium
Which STI is more suppurative - gonnorhoea or chlamydia?
gonorrhoea
What type of bacteria is Chlamydia trachomatis?
gram negative
What are the 2 forms of chlamydia trachomatis?
- elementary body (outside cell)
2. reticulate body (inside cell)
What can NGU lead to in patients with HLAB27?
Reiter’s syndrome
What does chlamydia trachomatis cause in men?
- urethritis
- epididymo-orchitis
- prostatitis