year 1 flash cards > TOPIC 6 - infections > Flashcards

TOPIC 6 - infections Flashcards

(125 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

What are helminths?

A

Complex organisms - worms

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

What is a cestode?

A

Tapeworm - segmented and flat

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

What is a trematode?

A

Fluke - unsegmented and flat

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

What is a nematode?

A

Round worms - cylindrical and have a digestive tract with lips , teeth and anus

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

Taenia Saginata

A

Beef tapeworm:

  • intestinal parasite of human
  • largely asymptomatic
  • abdominal pain and malnutrition
  • cattle are intermediate hosts- we eat cattle = eggs hatch in us
  • diagnosis - stool microscopy for eggs or patient sees worm in stool
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Bilharzia

A
  • infects veins around the bladder
  • bladder inflammation and haematuria (blood in urine)
  • freshwater snails are intermediate hosts
  • diagnosis - urine microscopy for eggs
  • if fluke live in bladder for long time = chronic bladder inflammation = cancer
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Endoparasites

A

Live INSIDE the body
- helminths
- protozoa
major cause of illness

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

Ectoparasites

A 
Live OUTSIDE the body
- fleas
- lice
- bed bugs
- ticks
minor cause of illness but can transmit
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a parasite?

A

An organism which depends on another for its survival to the detriment of its host

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

What is protozoa?

A

Unicellular organisms, some have complex lifecycles involving more than one host

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

Entamoeba histolytica

A

Amoeba

  • invades large bowel lining
  • dysentery - abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhoea
  • excreted with faeces
  • spread via contaminated food and water (poor hygiene and sanitation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Plasmodium falciparum

A

Sporozoa (malaria)

  • lifecycle in both humans and mosquitos
  • infects red blood cells and liver
  • fever, headache and joint pains
  • eventually cause kidney failure, coma and death
  • spread via mosquitos
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the 2 main forms of fungi?

A

Yeast - single cells which bud
Mould - filamentous strands
Diamorphic fungi can switch between the two

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

Tinea pedis

A

Athlete’s foot

  • usually starts between the toes
  • itchy, scaly rash on feet
  • usually occurs when sweaty feet are in tight, confined shoes (accumulation of moisture between the toes)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Tinea corporis

A

Ringworm

  • superficial fungal infection of skin
  • most common on arms and legs (glabrous skin)
  • spread by skin to skin contact
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Cryptococcus neoformans

A

Yeast

  • infects patients with failing immune system (ie HIV)
  • causes meningitis
  • inflammation of membranes lining the brain
  • headache, neck stiffness, confusion, coma, death
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Bacteria

A
  • prokaryotes
  • peptidoglycan cell wall
  • no nucleus
  • reproduce asexually
  • move using flagellae and pili
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Common bacterial infections

A 
Pneumonia
UTI
Cellulitis
Meningitis
Cholecystitis
Diverticulitis
Appendicitis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Round bacteria

A

Coccus

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

Rod bacteria

A

Bacillus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Stain used in gram staining

A

Crystal Violet- some bacterial walls retain crystal violet stain, other don’t

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

Colour of stain in gram positive

A

Purple

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

Colour of stain in gram negative

A

Pink

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Clinical importance of classifying bacteria

A
  • quickest way to identify them

- Allows you to predict which antibiotics will be effective quickly and so which prescribe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Pneumococcus - gram positive cocci in pairs - colonise nose and throat - invade other sights (lungs causing pneumonia) - cough, dirty sputum, chest pain, fever - blood stream infection, meningitis, death
26
What does diplococci mean
Cocci in pairs
27
Viruses
- depend on infection of host cell for metabolism and replication - protein core surrounding genetic material, protein coat and outer membrane - very small (need powerful electron microscope)
28
Acute infection
Norovirus infects hosts for days, causing diarrhoea and vomiting
29
Chronic infection
Hepatitis C causes liver inflammation for years
30
Latent infection
Herpesviruses can be dormant for decades before reactivating to cause disease
31
Varicella zoster virus
Chickenpox (latent infection) - rash and fever - virus becomes dormant in sensory nerve roots - reactivates years later as shingles (same rash, confined to dermatome) due to stress, lowered immunity ect
32
Dermatome
Area supplied by single sensory nerve
33
Epstein-Barr virus
- usually causes mild illness (glandular fever) - infects immune system cells, B cells, and epithelial cells of nose and mouth - causes latent lifelong infection - contributes to certain cancers with other factors
34
Prions
PROteinaceous INfectious particles - lack nucleic acid - not a living organism - proteins are abnormal and accumulate (mainly in neural tissue) - very difficult to destroy- standard sterilisation doesn't work
35
CJD
Prion - Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - rare fatal, degenerative neurological disease - transmitted via human growth hormone, surgical instruments and corneal grafts
36
Kuru
Prion - occurred in Papua New Guinea in 1950's - spread by cannibalism (in the one tribe they would eat the bodies of dead relatives - spread from the brain
37
Reservoir
Habitat in which the agent normally lives, grows and multiplies
38
Endogenous infection
When normal microbial flora (found on skin, gut, upper airways and genital tract) gets into the wrong place- eg.UTI
39
Cystitis
- infection of lower urinary tract - lower abdominal pain, urgency, dysuria, frequency - most commonly bacteria from gut flora
40
Dysuria
Painful urination
41
Exogenous infection
Communicable - person-to-person - non-human sources - environment
42
Endogenous route of transmission
- migration - perforation - blood
43
Exogenous infection
- contact - injuries - airborne - oral - blood-borne - sex - Mother-to-baby (vertical)
44
Migration- endogenous infection
- bowel flora contaminates perineum - gains access to urethra - causes local infection - spreads to bladder, cystitis, and beyond to reach kidneys = UTI
45
Perforation -endogenous infection
- diseases of bowel, especially colon-eg. cancer, diverticular disease - perforation of bowel wall leads to contamination of abdominal cavity with faecal flora - severe life-threatening infection
46
Blood spread- endogenous infection
- endocarditis (infection of the heart) - dental work may allow mouth flora to enter blood stream - circulation of organisms allows them to reach distant sites - invasion can occur especially if heart valve tissue is abnormal - causes inflammation, 'vegetation' and structural damage of heart valves
47
Impetigo
Direct contact - superficial skin infection due to staphylococci or streptococci - spreads rapidly from person to person so need cover up
48
Indirect contact
- micro-organisms can be transmitted via hands, equipment, furniture etc - major route of health-care associated infections - eg MRSA, clostridium difficile, norovirus gastroenteritis
49
Tetanus
- bacteria (clostridium tetani) present in soil - contaminates wounds - releases toxin causing muscle spasm - prevented by vaccine
50
Influenza virus
Airborne infection - coughing and sneezing - droplets formed containing infectious viruses - inhaled by others
51
Food-borne/ oral
- food prepared with poor hygiene - contaminate food with harmful bacteria - food poisoning - vomiting and diarrhoea
52
Blood-borne infection
Hepatitis B - liver infection - some viruses spill into blood - transmission by exposure to blood (transfusion, sharing dirty needles)
53
Sexual transmission
Chlamydia - unprotected sex - new partners - multiple partners - high risk (sex workers)
54
Mother to baby (vertical)
- during pregnancy (rubella) - at time of birth (herpes) - breast milk (HIV)
55
HIV, hep B and hep C transmission
- blood-borne - vertical- placental or breast feeding - sexual
56
Infections requiring more than one step
Staphylococcus aureus - colonisation of skin - penetration of skin
57
Factors that contribute to how serious an infection is
- infectious dose - direct infection of cells/tissues - virulence factors and toxins - resistance to antibiotics
58
Ebola
Direct infection and damage/destruction of cells - tissue damage - destroys blood vessels - decreased blood clotting ability- coagulation defects - impairment of immune system- no antibodies produced
59
Cholera
- severe watery diarrhoea ('rice water') - bacteria produce toxin - binds to gut lining cells- mucosa - massive loss of fluid and electrolytes - causes sever dehydration, kidney failure and death
60
How does cholera cause illness
- cholera toxin enters cells of gut lumen - activates adenyl cyclase increasing cAMP - reduces Na+ absorption - increases Cl- secretion - water and other electrolytes drawn into bowel lumen = diarrhoea
61
Antibiotic resistance
- micro-organisms readily mutate - frequently mutate to escape antibiotic use - more antibiotic use = more mutations - failure of antibiotic treatment - rate of new development of antibiotics is slower than the rate of mutation
62
What is a superbug?
A super resistant bacteria that cannot be treated by antibiotics
63
Environment factors in infection
- geography - climate - poverty - public health infrastructure - distribution of other infection hosts- insects or other vectors
64
Dengue fever
Virus infection - transmitted by Aedes mosquito - fever, rash and muscle pain - sever - bleeding, shock and multi organ failure
65
Barriers to infection
- skin and mucous membranes - stomach acid - native bacteria - immune system - genetics - behaviour
66
Skin and mucous membranes can be compromised by ...
Cuts - wound infection | Abrasions - conjuctivitis
67
Stomach acid can be compromised by ...
- HCl - pH 2 (very few organisms can survive this) - commonly used drugs for stomach ulcer increase pH - patients more susceptible to food poisoning
68
Native bacteria can be compromised by ...
- prevent colonisation by pathogenic bacteria as space taken up by our normal friendly bacteria - antibiotic treatment destroys the normal 'friendly' bacteria - pathogens can reproduce and cause disease as there now space for them
69
Immune system can be compromised by ...
- treatment for other diseases - chemotherapy damages immune system - drugs to make immune system less active (corticosteroids)
70
Immune system infection
HIV - infects white cells - makes most infections more common and more severe - causes infections by micro-organisms which don't usually cause harm - opportunistic infection
71
Genetics and infection
Inherited immunodeficiency | Genetics can protect against infection - sickle cell disease trait are protected against malaria
72
Behaviours to increase infection risk
- occupation - travel - recreation - sex - drugs - contacts
73
stages of malaria in blood
``` 1- human bitten by anapholys mosquito 2- injects sporozoite in blood stream 3- these travel to liver 4- then released into blood as merozite 4- then turns into trophozoite and after into schizont 5- and finally bak into merozite so the cycle repeated ```
74
what is rhinovirus?
common cold | trivial infection
75
what are microbial flora ?
normal 'friendly' bacteria everyone has living on them bacteria vary according to site
76
diseases due to overactive immune systems / autoimmune?
asthma types arthritis bowel inflammation
77
what are the 4 major pathogenic groups?
- bacteria - viruses - fungi - parasites
78
what are examples of non specific symptoms?
- sweat, chills, shivers - fever - rigors- episodes of uncontrolled shivering - loss weight/appetite - aching muscles/joints
79
what are specific symptoms?
idea as to where infection coming from according to source - pneumonia : cough breathlessness - meningitis: headache, neck stiffness
80
why is the medical history of patient importnant
``` may have (past)conditions making the more susceptible to infection may be suppressed by (past)drugs ```
81
where do we examine a patient in infections?
whole patient - infections can effect whole body | - some produce signs that give away diagnosis - eg. chicken pox
82
what basic tests can we carry out for infections
- CRP- C reactive protein : marker of inflammation - protein increased in inflammation - U&E- urea and electrolyte levels (kidney function) - LFT: liver function tests (hep)
83
what test would you take for tonsilitis?
throat swab
84
patients in hospital with infection have what tests sent to lab?
blood and urine | sent for culture
85
what would you test for pneumonia?
sputum- phlegm
86
what would you test for gastroenteritis?
faeces
87
do you take a sample before or after anitibiotic?
before
88
what a lumbar puncture?
examination of cerebrospinal fluid for signs of meningitis | needle between 2 lumbar vertebra into spinal fluid
89
What tests do Microbiologists do with the samples you send?
* Antibody tests * Microscopy * Antigen detection * Culture * Antibiotic sensitivity testing * PCR
90
what stain do we use to detect fungi?
calcofluor
91
what stain do we use to detect TB
Ziehl Nelson
92
whats an antibiotic sensitivity test?
Measurement of susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics Cover whole surface of agar plate with bacteria Discs with certain antibiotics Zone of inhibition around disc shows which antibiotic works on that bacteria
93
How do we detect organisms that we can’t grow in the laboratory?
•Identify part of the organism: - Proteins (often called antigens) - Detect DNA/RNA (by Polymerase Chain Reaction) * Identify the body’s immune response to the infection * Antibodies (proteins made to neutralise a specific infection) * IgM- acute infection * IgG- past infection/immunity
94
what is antigen protein testing?
- detection of protein fragments - rapid and cheap - detect acute infection
95
what is the PCR and why do we use it
- Polymerase Chain reaction - DNA/RNA identification by multiplying DNA/RNA - identifies unique genetic code sequence for specific infection - used for acute infection
96
give examples of acute infections
``` • Meningitis • HIV • Hepatitis B and C • Respiratory viruses (e.g. influenza) SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) ```
97
what is antibody testing
Looks at antibodies produced in response to infection
98
what classes of antibodies are tested?
•IgM Initial antibody response Appears within a week, usually disappears after a few months •IgG Later antibody response Appears 10-14 days
99
how do we get a false negative test?
test taken too late/early | takes time for antibodies to form
100
what is Supportive therapy
treat symptoms: | eg. paracetamol or IV fluids
101
what is Specific therapy
•Antimicrobials (= all drugs/chemicals that kill microorganisms) •An antibiotic for viral infections no specific treatment
102
What ideally do we want an antimicrobial to do?
* Selective toxicity (effective against microbe without harming host) * Bacteriocidal (= kills the organism) rather than bacteriostatic (= inhibits its growth) * No resistance – should be able to kill micororagnism * Good pharmacokinetics (i.e reach high level in body and stay there, allowing fewer doses/day) * No side effects * Not inactivated by enzymes secreted by microbes, or by the host
103
what are broad spectrum antimicrobials?
kills lots of different organisms
104
what are narrow spectrum antimicrobials?
kills few organisms
105
Problems with antimicrobials
* Variable spectrum of activity * Some cannot be given orally * Many cause side effects which can be serious, e.g. anaphylaxis (severe allergy) * Bacterial resistance * some antibiotics are now effective against very few organisms, e.g. penicillin * some organisms are now resistant to many antibiotics, e.g. MRSA
106
how do we reduce transmission of food/water borne infections
sanitation clean water supplies food prep hygiene
107
how do we reduce transmission of contact infections- eg.MRSA
hand washing gloves gowns masks
108
how do we reduce transmission of airborne infections eg. TB
isolate patient in negative pressure room- filters out-going air
109
how do we Protect the potential host
•Prophylactic treatments treat before infection- antimalarials •Antimalarials •Antibiotics given to very immunosuppressed patients - immunisations
110
How do you make a diagnosis of an infection?
History - symptoms, travel, medical history, occupation, recreation, vaccination Examination - infections can effect every body system Investigation - e.g. LFT, urea and electrolyte levels, C-reactive protein Testing
111
How is microbiology used in diagnosing an infection?
``` Antibody detection - IgM (marker of acute infection) or IgG (past infection or immunity) Culture Microscopy PCR Antigen detection Antibiotic sensitivity testing ```
112
How are infections treated?
Supportive therapy - e.g. to treat symptoms | Specific therapy - antimicrobials and antibiotics
113
Name some examples of antibiotics.
- Penicillin - derived from mould | - Mupirocin - produced by bacteria pseudomonas fluorescens (treats MRSA)
114
What makes a good antimicrobial drug?
``` Selective toxicity Bacteriocidal No resistance Good pharmacokinetics No side effects Not inactivated by enzymes secreted by microbe or host ```
115
What are some problems with antimicrobials?
Variable spectrum of activity Some can't be given orally Many cause serious side effects Bacterial resistance
116
Name some ways that antibacterials work?
``` Block cell wall synthesis Block DNA replication Block DNA-dependent RNA polymerase Inhibit protein synthesis Cell membrane inhibitors ```
117
How can infection be prevented?
Reduce pathogens in the environment - clean drinking water, hygienic food preparation Prevent transmission - sanitation, hand washing, isolation of infected individuals Protect the potential host - antimalarials, immunisation etc
118
Which infections currently do not have a vaccine?
Meningococcus group B Hep C HIV Malaria
119
Lumbar puncture
Sample of spinal fluid | Suspected bacterial meningitis should be confirmed by lumbar puncture
120
Faeces culture
Investigation of suspected gastroenteritis | Brown top universal with spoon
121
Fluid culture
Fluid (like material obtained from sterile sites or from drains) should be collected in a sterile universal container with a white top
122
MC&S Culture Swabs
Cultures of swabs of material from wounds and other superficial parts of the body are used to identify the bacterial causative agent
123
Respiratory culture
Investigation of lower respiratory tract bacterial infections including pneumonia
124
Throat swab
Used for performing PCR and culture
125
MRSA culture
MRSA screening is aimed to prevent transmission of MRSA by identifying patients who are colonised or infected
year 1 flash cards
flashcards
Decks in class (23)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions