Weeks 1-2: Introduction

Question 1

List 3 things about Microbiology in Nursing Practice.

Answer 1

1) Microbes can be resistant and smart.
2) Most microbes are spread by healthcare workers in health care settings.
3) Hygiene practices such as hand hygiene, using sterile equipment, wearing PPE, or testing/follow-up can reduce the risk of illness from microbes.

Question 2

What are Prokaryotes?

Answer 2

• Single-celled
• No nucleus
• Singular circular chromosome
• Lacks organelles

Question 3

What are Eukaryotes?

Answer 3

• Single or multicellular
• Contains a nucleus
• Evolved from prokaryotes
• DNA consists of multiple linear chromosomes
• Contains organelles

Question 4

What are 2 Types of Prokaryotes?

Answer 4

Bacteria & Archaea

Question 5

What are 2 Types of Eukaryotes?

Answer 5

Protists & Fungi

Question 6

Bacteria are:

Answer 6

• Found in almost every habitat on Earth.
• Shapes: Spherical (coccus), Rod-shaped (bacillus), Curved (vibrio, spirillum, spirochete).
• Metabolism: Photosynthetic or non-synthetic.

Question 7

Archaea are:

Answer 7

• Have a different evolutionary history than bacteria.
• Cell walls lack peptidoglycan and are instead composed of pseudopeptidoglycan.
• Found in extreme environments.
• None are known as human pathogens.

Question 8

Protists are:

Answer 8

Algae (photosynthetic, cellulose cell walls).
Protozoa (diverse, motile, some pathogenic).

Question 9

Fungi are:

Answer 9

Yeasts (unicellular, used in food production, some pathogenic).
Molds (multicellular, decomposers, some produce antibiotics).

Question 10

SYMBIOSIS: Mutualism

Answer 10

Both populations benefit (E. coli)

Question 11

SYMBIOSIS: Amensalism

Answer 11

One population is harmed while the other is unaffected (Lucilia sericata destroys Staphylococcus aureus).

Question 12

SYMBIOSIS: Commensalism

Answer 12

One population benefits while the other is unaffected (Staphylococcus epidermidis).

Question 13

SYMBIOSIS: Neutralism

Answer 13

Both populations are unaffected by (hard to prove, some affects we don’t know about).

Question 14

SYMBIOSIS: Parasitism

Answer 14

One population benefits while the other is harmed (disease causing bacteria such as viruses, bacteria - eg. Salmonella spp., H. pylori).

Question 15

Dysbiosis is:

Answer 15

The imbalance in the microbial communities normally in the gut, which can then be associated or implicated in many diseases/conditions.

Question 16

What are the 3 Categories of Dysbiosis?

Answer 16

1) Loss of beneficial organisms
2) Excessive growth of potentially harmful organisms
3) Loss of overall microbial diversity

• ALL 3 can occur are the same time or singularly

Question 17

Examples of Dysbiosis in the body?

Answer 17

Heart disease (hypertension, atherosclerosis).
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s disease,ulcerative colitis).
Liver disease (cirrhosis, hepatitis).
Chronic Kidney Disease.
Brain Disorders (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression).
Diabetes.
Respiratory Disease (asthma, bronchitis).
Cancer.

Question 18

Why is One Health important in microbiology and nursing?

Answer 18

• One Health is an integrated approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of people, animals and the environment, and works to create the optimal health conditions by integrating these fields together rather than looking at them all separately.

Question 19

What is epidemiology?

Answer 19

The study of how often diseases occur in different group of people and why.

Question 20

Why is epidemiology important in nursing?

Answer 20

• Using knowledge of epidemics to interpret health trends and apply the knowledge to patient care.
• Care for patients in the screening and early detection of diseases.
• Report disease occurrences and contribute to public health for surveillance.
• Conduct/collaborate on research projects.
• Educate patients.
• Implement/oversee infection control measures and prevent the spread of infections.

Question 21

What are Reservoirs?

Answer 21

• Living organisms or nonliving environments like soil or water.
• EX: Rabies = animals
  Cholera = water
  Measles = humans
• May have more than one reservoir; animals can serve as reservoirs and transmit the disease to humans without even showing symptoms themselves.

Question 22

What are Carriers?

Answer 22

• Human reservoirs may or may not transmit a pathogen depending on the stage of infection, immune response, pathogen load, mode of transmission, etc.
• An individual is capable of transmitting a pathogen without knowing they had it.

Question 23

What are PASSIVE Carriers?

Answer 23

Passive carriers are contaminated and can mechanically transmit it without being infected themselves.

Question 24

What are ACTIVE Carriers?

Answer 24

Active carriers are infected individuals who can transmit the disease with or without showing symptoms.

Question 25

What is Transmission?

Answer 25

- In order for pathogens to spread there must be a way to transmit the pathogen. EX: Contact (direct or indirect), Vehicle transmission (through food, air, or water), Vector transmission

Question 26

What is Morbidity?

Answer 26

-Having the disease or a symptom of disease, or to the amount of disease within a population; also refers to medical problems caused by a treatment. - Based on Prevalence and Incidence.

Question 27

What is Prevalence?

Answer 27

- The number or proportion of individuals with a particular condition in a given time period. - Calculated by: Prevalence = # of people w specific condition / Total # of people in the pop'n

Question 28

What is the equation for PREVALENCE?

Answer 28

Prevalence = # of people w specific condition / Total # of people in the pop'n

Question 29

What is Incidence?

Answer 29

- The number or proportion of new cases in a period of time. - Incidence = # of new cases / Total # of people in a pop'n - Multiply by 1000 to fine per 1000 people.

Question 30

What is the equation for INCIDENCE?

Answer 30

Incidence = # of new cases / Total # of people in a pop'n Multiply by 1000 to fine per 1000 people.

Question 31

What is the order of Patterns of Incidence based on severity?

Answer 31

1) Sporadic 2) Endemic 3) Epidemic 4) Pandemic

Question 32

Patterns of Incidence: What is Sporadic?

Answer 32

- Occurs infrequently and irregularly. - Cases are isolated and scattered. - No predictable pattern or constant presence in a specific region or population.

Question 33

Patterns of Incidence: What is an Endemic?

Answer 33

- Consistently present in a specific region or population. - Prevalence remains stable over time. - Spread is fairly predictable.

Question 34

Patterns of Incidence: What is an Epidemic?

Answer 34

- Unexpected or rapid spread of a disease or health event in a specific geographic are or population. - Can result from a surge in an endemic disease or the emergence of a new disease.

Question 35

Patterns of Incidence: What is a Pandemic?

Answer 35

- Disease spreads across countries or continents rapidly. - Increased likelihood due to international travel and urbanization. - Results in new cases appearing daily.

Question 36

What is Aetiology?

Answer 36

The study of the causes of disease.

Question 37

What are Koch's Postulates?

Answer 37

1. The suspected pathogen must be found in every case of disease and not be found in healthy individuals. 2. The suspected pathogen can be isolated and grown in pure culture. 3. Healthy test subject infected with the suspected pathogen must develop the same signs and symptoms of disease as in Postulate 1. 4. The pathogen must be re-isolated from the new host and must be identical to the pathogen from Postulate 2.

Question 38

What is the Bradford Hill Criteria?

Answer 38

- Strength of association - Consistency - Specificity - Temporality - Biological gradient - Plausibility - Coherence - Experiment - Analogy

Question 39

What is the Epidemiological Triad?

Answer 39

1. Host- organisms that harbors the disease; the “who”. 2. Agent - the microbe that causes the disease; the “what”. 3. Environment - external factors that cause or allow disease transmission; the “where”.

Question 40

What is Sensitivity?

Answer 40

The ability of the test to identify the presence of a disease or illness correctly. True positive = the individual has the disease or illness, and the test results are positive. False negative = the individual has the disease or illness, but the test results are negative.

Question 41

What is Specificity?

Answer 41

The ability of the test to identify the absence of a disease or illness correctly. True negative = the individual does NOT have the disease or illness, and the test results are negative. False positive = the individual does NOT have the disease or illness, but the test results are positive.

Question 42

Results in True Positives or False Negatives?

Answer 42

Sensitivity

Question 43

Results in True Negatives and False Positives?

Answer 43

Specificity

Question 44

What does HIGH SENSITIVITY mean?

Answer 44

LOW False Negatives - Important when missing a case would have serious consequences such as screening for life-threatening diseases.

Question 45

What does HIGH SPECIFICITY mean?

Answer 45

LOW False POSITIVES - Useful when confirming a diagnosis is critical and you want to avoid unnecessary treatments or interventions.

Question 46

What does it mean to have a specificity of 98%?

Answer 46

This means that 98 out of 100 patients who do not have the bacterial infection will test negative, while 2 out of 100 may test positive despite not having the infection.

Question 47

What does a sensitivity of 95% mean?

Answer 47

This means that 95 out of 100 patients who actually have the bacterial infection will test positive, while 5 out of 100 may test negative despite having the infection.