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Introduction to infectious agents

06/04/2014

Number of infectious agents: prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi,


protozoa, helminthes, arthropods. Mycologists fungi and parasitologists.
Main tool as a bacteriologist is a light microscope labeling/staining
with a dye to visualize bacteria.
For subcellular structures we can use the higher resolution electron
microscopy.
Prions are inaminate need other living organisms. They are
proteins but it is not fully understood how they cause disease.
Animate organisms can survive autonomously:
Bacteria single cell prokaryotes
Fungi, protozoa, and parasites are eukaryotes
Prions:
Small particles/protein closely related to a host-derived
glycoprotein
No genetic material
The disease version prion protein scrapie. Once inside
body, it may change normal proteins in the body to
another dysfunctional variant.
Might be linked to tribes eating primate/cannibalism.
Bacteria:
Prokaryotes do not have many intracellular structures such as
ER. Ribosomes are loose. No Golgi/mitochondria/ nuclear
membrane ( DNA loosely folded together to form a nucleoid).
They can be infected by autonomously replicating circular strands
of DNA called plasmids via conjugation as plasmids can enter
via leaky membrane.
Plasmids can replicate using bacterial machinery.
Have ability to move using flagella chemotaxis using receptors
that can bind substrates along an increasing concentration
gradient.
Pili- SHORT hair like extensions that allow bacteria to
adhere to surfaces. Bacteria do not like to exist on their own
and like to exist as a community/biofilm. The first stage o
formation of a biofilm at the interface (solid-liquid e.g.)
( not always on surface).
Can visualize and classify bacteria using Gram staining
some organisms can be stained but others remain stain
free but can be counter stained so can be still visualized.
Main stain = crystal violet = what stains them positively.
Negatively stained cells = gram ve, positively stained
cells = gram positive.

Bacteria have a rigid outer membrane:


Round cocci
Rod shape bacilli
Spiral shape spirochates
Shape aways same for a particular genus of microorganism
Shapes and gram stain can begin to differentiate organisms.
Bacteria are named according to genus and species. E.g.
Staphylococcus aureus.
Fungi:
Defined by morphology
Filamentous/yeasts
Some are dimorphic
Classified by type of infection superficial ycosis or deep
mycosis ( beyond skin e.g. aspergillus = lung)
E.g. aspergillus infection in immunosuppressed doesnt
normally form an infection.
Protozoa:
Eukaryotes
Malaria
E.g. plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax are carried by
insects
Helminths are parasitics flatworms, roundworms or nematode
Arthropods insects, ticks, and mice.
COMMENSAL ORGANISMS
We carry 10-100 times more bacterial cells than our own
human cells.
Many bacteria colonise us can be harmless/harmful.
Commensals usually harmless

Pathogens harmful
There is a grey area between this some commensals can become
pathogenic depending on certain situations.
We have symbiosis/mutualistic relationship with bacteria at the other
end of spectrum, there are parasitic organisms that benefit form us, but
damage us. Commensals use humans for shelter/food ( e.g. on
skin) but no benefit for us.

E.g. commensals bacteroides spp ferments digested food in


gut. Usually harmless but may be harmful if tissues damaged
during surgery or if gut flora changes due to antibotics.
Parasites entamoeba histolytica ulcers and dysentery
Mtualism bacteroides spp provides nutrients to host in gut.
Host antimicrobial defences:
Limit entry of bacteria if we carry too many, then we would be
nutrient depleted.Colonnisation environment = equilibrium
between our host defences and bacterial ability to overcome
them
Biochemical antibacterial compounds lysozyme enzyme that
breaks down specifically breaks down bacterial cell wall muramic
acid in tears, nasal secretions, and saliva. This also bathes
surfaces.
Sebum secretions prevent bacterial growth.
Acid environment in gut/vagina prevents growth but some
bacteria grow.
Spermine in semen is antibacterial
Commensals:
Many bacteria only survive on human beings.
Depend on several factors like humidity, pH, attachment, oxygen,
host inhibitors, microbial inhibitors, and nutrients.
Colonising bacteria form polymicrobial communities/biofilms that
form intimate interaction between themselves and with us.
First species = pioneering species that forms a biofilm. This can
change the pH and oxygen usually more acidic and less
oxgen allows secondary colonization with other bacteria ( e.g.
strict anaerobe).
In contrast, in blood infection, organism that proliferates the
quickest causes bacteraemia. Only a single bacterium type
causes the infection.
SYSTEMIC INFECTIONS = ONE ORGANISM
SKIN INFECTIONS MULTIPLE BACTERIAL SPECIES OR
POLYMICROBIAL
Biofilm dental plaque on teeth bacteria bound together by
polysaccharide and DNA released by bacterial death.
Pathogens:

Mechanisms to overcome natural host defences


Influenza virus can attach to cilia and microvilli in the trachea
Viruses then enter the cells
Neisseria gonorrhea attaches to human urethral epithelial cell to
prevent it being washed away.
Neisseria meningitides usually commensal but can cause
bacterial meningitis. Meningitidis has a capsule that allows
formation of capsule. N.gonorrhea always causes a disease as it
doesnt have a capsule.
E.g. Clostridium tetani causes tetanus.

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