Reproduction > Microbiology > Flashcards

Microbiology Flashcards

(72 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

What is the normal vaginal flora?

A

Lactobacillus spp
Strep viridans
Group B beta-haemolytic streptococcus
Candida spp

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does Lactobacillus spp produce that suppresses growth of other bacteria?

A

Lactic acid

Hydrogen peroxide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What % of unselected females are colonised with small numbers of candida and have no symptoms?

A

30%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are some predisposing factors for candida infection?

A

Recent antibiotic therapy
High oestrogen levels (pregnancy, some contraceptions)
Poorly controlled diabetes
Immunocompromised patients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the presentation of candida infection?

A

Intensely itchy white vaginal discharge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How is candida infection diagnosed?

A

Clinical diagnosis

High vaginal swab for culture- majority of cases C. albicans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the treatment for a candida infection?

A

Topical clotrimazole pessary or cream (OTC)

Oral fluconazole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What organisms are involved in bacterial vaginosis?

A

Gardnerella vaginalis
Mobiluncus sp.
Others incl. anaerobes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the predisposing factors for bacterial vaginosis?

A

Uncertain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?

A

Thin, watery, fishy-smelling vaginal discharge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How is bacterial vaginosis diagnosed?

A

Clinical diagnosis

Raised vaginal pH >4.5

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What laboratory testing can be carried out in bacterial vaginosis?

A

HVS sent to lab and examined microscopically to look for presence of clue cells
Subjective/inaccurate test
Hay-Ison scoring system estimates proportions of clue cells to epithelial cells and lactobacilli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the treatment for bacterial vaginosis?

A

Oral metronidazole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the 3 classes of prostatitis?

A

Acute bacterial
Chronic bacterial
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis?

A

UTI symptoms

Lower abdo/back/perineal/penile pain and tender prostate on exam

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is acute bacterial prostatitis a rare complication of?

A

UTI

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What organisms cause acute bacterial prostatitis?

A

Same as UTI- E. coli & other coliforms, enterococcus sp (check for STI in patients <35yo)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How is acute bacterial prostatitis diagnosed?

A

Clinical signs + MSSU for C&S (+- first pass urine for chlamydia/gonorrhoea)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How is acute bacterial prostatitis treated?

A

Ciprofloxacin for 28 days (depending on culture result)

Trimethoprim (28d) if high C. diff risk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are some bacterial causes of STI?

A 
Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia)
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhoea)
Treponema pallidum (syphilis)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are some viral causes of STI?

A

Human papilloma virus (genital warts)
Herpes simplex (genital herpes)
Hepatitis and HIV

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are some parasitic causes of STI?

A

Trichomonas vaginalis
Phthirus pubis (pubic lice or “crabs”)
Scabies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Where does chlamydia infect?

A 
Urethra
Rectum
Throat
Eyes
Endocervix
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is Chlamydia trachomatis?

A

Obligate intracellular bacterial with biphasic life cycle (does not reproduce outside host cell or gram stain)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What are the 3 serological groupings of chlamydia trachomatis?
Serovars A-C = Trachoma (eye infection) (NOT an STI) Serovars D-K = Genital infection Serovars L1-L3 = Lymphogranuloma venereum
26
What is the treatment for uncomplicated chlamydia?
Azithromycin- 1g oral
27
What is the chlamydia infectious cycle?
Attachment and entry 2hrs: Migration to perinuclear area and EB>RB transition 8-24hrs: Inclusion biogenesis and bacterial replication 48hrs: RB>EB transition and cell lysis
28
Where does Neisseria gonorrhoeae infect?
``` Urethra Rectum Throat Eyes Endocervix ```
29
What is Neisseria gonorrhoeae?
Gram -ve diplococcus Easily phagocytosed by polymorphs Fastidious organism
30
How is chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnosed?
Combined nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) or PCR- tests for both in 1 test Highly sensitive and specific
31
How are female patients diagnosed for chlamydia and gonorrhoea?
HVS or vulvo-vaginal swab: either self-taken by patient or clinicial taken or endocervical swab
32
What can be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea other than urine or vaginal swab?
Rectal swab Throat swab Eye swab (babies and adults)
33
What other tests exist for N. gonorrhoeae?
Microscopy for urethral/endocervical swabs (done in SRH clinic) Culture on selective agar plate (not high vaginal swabs, only SRH to check antibiotic sensitivities and for epidemiology) (GP swab organism often die during transit)
34
What are some advantages of PCR/NAATs tests over culture?
Much less invasive specimens required, esp. if patient is asymptomatic (urine ♂; self-taken VVS ♀) Much more sensitive than culture Will be positive even if organisms have died in transit to lab Test takes hours, not days
35
What are some disadvantages of PCR/NAATs tests over culture?
Cannot test antibiotic sensitivities without culture, so difficult to track antibiotic resistance Will detect dead organisms (have to wait 5 weeks to do “test of cure” tests)
36
What is the treatment for N. gonorrhoeae?
IM Ceftriaxone + Oral Azithromycin
37
What organism causes syphilis?
Spirochaete organism Treponema pallidum (does not gram stain)
38
How is syphilis diagnosed microscopically?
PCR or serological tests
39
What are the 4 stages of syphilis?
1y lesion (chancre) 2y stage Latent stage Late stage syphilis
40
Describe the 1y lesion stage of syphilis
Organism multiplies at inoculation site and gets into bloodstream. Chancre will heal without treatment
41
Describe the 2y stage of syphilis
Large nos. bacteria circulating in blood with multiple manifestations at different sites (snail track mouth ulcers, generalised rash, flu-like symptoms etc)
42
Describe the latent stage of syphilis
No symptoms, but low-level multiplication of spirochaete in intima of small blood vessels. Can be divided into early and late
43
Describe late stage syphilis
CV or neurovascular complications many years later
44
How is syphilis diagnosed?
Dark ground microscopy to look for spirochaetes in exudate from 1y and 2y lesions (not done in Tayside) Swab of 1y/2y lesions for PCR Serology-tests for non-specific and specific antibodies to T. pallidum in blood
45
What are non-specific useful for?
Monitoring response to therapy Usually -ve after successful treatment May be falsely +ve (e.g. SLE, malaria, pregnancy)
46
What specific serological tests exist for syphilis?
TPPA (T. pallidum particle agglutination assay) TPHA (T. pallidum haemagglutination assay) – not used in Tayside Specific for syphilis, remain +ve for life
47
What is used as the screening test for syphilis?
Combined IgG and IgM ELISA
48
What is the treatment for syphilis?
Penicillin- injectable long acting
49
What is the cause of genital warts?
HPV
50
What is HPV?
Non-enveloped icosahedral virus containing double stranded DNA
51
What types of HPV most commonly cause genital warts?
6 & 11
52
What types of HPV most commonly cause cervical cancer?
16 & 18
53
How are genital warts spread?
Close genital skin contact
54
How is genital warts diagnosed?
Clinical diagnosis
55
What is the treatment for genital warts?
Cryotherapy | Podophyllotoxin cream/lotion
56
What vaccine is given to 11-13yo girls for HPV?
Quadrivalent vaccine- immunises against 6,11,16,18
57
What causes genital herpes?
HSV Type 1 (also causes cold sores) and 2
58
What is HSV?
Enveloped virus containing double stranded DNA
59
How is genital herpes spread?
Close contact with someone shedding the virus- genital/genital or oropharyngeal/genital contact
60
What is the pathogenesis of genital herpes?
1' infection may be asymptomatic (or very florid) Virus replicates in dermis/epidermis Gets into nerve endings of sensory and autonomic nerves Inflammation at nerve endings> exquisitely painful multiple small vesicles, easily deroofed Migrates to sacral root ganglion and 'hides' from immune system there (for life) Can reactivate there causing recurrent genital herpes attacks Intermittent virus shedding can occur in absence of symptoms
61
How are genital herpes diagnosed?
Swab in virus transport medium of deroofed blister for PCR test
62
What is the treatment for genital herpes?
Aciclovir helpful if taken early enough | Pain relief
63
What is trichomonas vaginalis?
Single celled protozoal parasite-divides by binary fission, human host only
64
How is trichomonas vaginalisis transmitted?
Sexual contact
65
What does trichomonas vaginalis cause?
Vaginal discharge and irritation in females, and urethritis in males
66
How is trichomoniasis diagnosed?
HVS for microscopy | PCR available but not in Tayside, so no good test for males
67
What is the treatment for trichomoniasis?
Oral metronidazole
68
How are public lice acquired?
Close genital skin contact
69
What do the lice do to skin?
Bite skin and feed on blood, causes itching
70
How long do male and female lice live for?
22 and 17 days respectively
71
Where do female lice lay their eggs
On hair next to skin
72
What is the treatment for pubic lice?
Malathion lotion
Reproduction
flashcards
Decks in class (40)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions