Question | Answer |
How does tetanus infection occur? | caused by spores from the soil that enter via a puncture wound (nail in foot) |
What specific pathology does C. tetani cause? | jaw muscles to contract intensely--common name is lockjaw--actually all musclles of the body are affected |
What animal is a source of anthrax seen in the United States? How is antrax prevented? | cattle are animal source in U.S.--prevvvented by vaccination and tx of cattle |
How fast does M leprae grow? | organisms grow slowly and may incubate for 2-10 yrs befor infected pt shows sx. organisms do not grow in culture media |
What parts of the body are infected be M. leprae? | infects skin and neurons |
How is leprosy transmitted? | by direct contact--lepromatous leprosy--resp. aerosols--mot spread easily, as spouse of pts sometimes do not contract-even after yrs of contact--grows in 9-banded armadillos--can be transmitted by them |
What is the incubation period for leprosy? | organisms grow extremely slow--may incubate for 2-10 yrs before infected person shows sx |
How is leprosy dx and tx? | dx--observation of skin lesions and loss of sensation--tx--reserved ABT dapsone or other antibacterials in the case of resistance for 2 or more yrs |
What organism causes gas gangrene? | C. perfringens |
All people carry S. epidermidis. Where? | S. epidermidis is found on the skin |
What wspecies of Staphylococcus is coagulase positive? | S. aureus is coagulase positive |
What percentage of people in the hospital setting are carriers of staphylococcus? | 30-50% |
List diseases caused by S. aureus? | food poisoning, nosocomial infections, impetigo, boils, desquamation or denuding in newborns, pneumonia, and osteomyelitis |
List the virulence determinants and their functions common to all strains of S. aureus | Protein A--cloaks bacteria with human Abs--hemolysin--lyses RBCs--leukocidin--kills WBCs--coagulase--clots blood--catalase--degrades hydrogen peroxide |
How are pyogenic staphylococcal infections primarily treated? | draining the pus |
What does MRSA indicate? | methicillin-resistant S. aureus |
what should be done to prevent staphylococcal transmission in the hospital setting? | staff must engage in strict hand washing and aseptic techniques |
How stable to temperature is Staphylococcus aureus? | neither freezing nor food-warming temps will kill bacteria Staphylococcus aureus |
Enterococcus faecalis is transmitted from where to where to cause infections? | normal flora from intestinal tract that causes infection when there is a gut perforation |