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Host-Microbe Relationships
Pathogen: A parasite capable of causing disease in a host Host: Any organism that harbors another organism Symbiosis: An association between two (or more) species Symbiosis includes: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism
Mutualism: Both members of the association living together benefit from the relationship Parasitism: One organism, the parasite, benefits from the relationship, whereas the other organism, the host, is harmed by it (e.g. bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, helminths) Commensalism: Two species live together in a relationship such that one benefits and the other one neither benefits nor is harmed
Parasite Infection: Female Pinworms Leaving the Anus of a 5-year-old child to lay eggs on the adjacent skin
Opportunists
Organisms that take advantage of particular opportunities to cause disease. Conditions that create opportunities for such organisms include: Failure of the hosts normal defenses (immunocompromised) Introduction of the organisms into unusual body sites Disturbances in the normal microflora (microbial antagonism)
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Kochs Postulates
Must be satisfied in order to prove that a specific organism is the causative agent of a particular disease Specific causative agent must be observed in every case of a disease Agent must be isolated from a diseased host and grown in pure culture Agent from pure culture is inoculated into a healthy host, the agent must cause same disease Agent must be reisolated from the inoculated, diseased experimental host and ID as being identical to the original causative agent
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Kinds of Diseases
Human diseases are caused by infectious agents, structural or functional genetic defects, environmental factors, or any combination of these causes Infectious Diseases: caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and helminths Noninfectious Diseases: caused by any factor other than infectious organisms
Classification of Diseases
1. 2. 3. 4. Inherited Diseases are caused by errors in genetic information Congenital Diseases are structural and functional defects present at birth Degenerative Diseases are disorders that develop in one or more body systems as aging occurs Nutritional Deficiency Diseases lower resistance to infectious diseases and contribute to the severity of infections Endocrine Diseases are due to excesses or deficiencies of hormones
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Enzymatic Virulence Factors Help Bacteria Invade Tissues and Evade Host Defenses
Hyaluronidase: enzyme digests hyaluronic acid, a gluelike substance that helps hold the cells of certain tissues together
Coagulase triggers blood plasma clotting, allowing bacteria protection from immune defenses Streptokinase dissolves blood clots
Bacterial Toxins
Any substance that is poisonous to other organisms Exotoxins are soluble substances secreted into host tissues Some exotoxins are enzymes (e.g. hemolysin) Leukocidins are exotoxins that damage white blood cells Endotoxins are part of the cell wall and are released into host tissues from gram negative bacteria
Types of hemolysis: A: Alpha or partial hemolysis of red blood cells results in a greenish zone around colonies of Streptococcus pneumoniae B: Streptococcus pyogenes colonies release B-hemolysins, which produce complete breakdown of hemoglobin, causing clear zones to form around colonies on blood agar A B
A Cosmetic Use of Botulinum Toxin, rapidly gaining in favor, is removal of wrinkles, especially frown wrinkles in the center of the forehead
Intoxications
Diseases that result from the ingestion of a toxin rather than infections Many exotoxins have a special attraction for particular tissues: neurotoxins: act on tissues of the nervous system to prevent muscle contraction (botulism) or muscle relaxation (tetanus) Enterotoxins: act on tissues of the gut Toxoid: an altered toxin that has lost its ability to cause harm but that retains antigenicity
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Latent Viral Infections are characteristic of herpesviruses. A weakened immune system allows the virus to multiply
Persistent Viral Infections involve a continued production of viruses over many months or years. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects the liver in such a chronic fashion that there may be no outward signs of an infection
Some protozoans invade and reproduce in red blood cells, and Giardia intestinalis attaches to tissues and ingests cells and tissue fluids. Virulence factor: adhesive disk
Helminths are extracellular parasites that inhabit intestines or other body tissues and many release toxic waste products and antigens in their excretions
Giardia intestinalis: The suction forces of the adhesive disk are so strong that they leave markings behind on the intestinal surface
Trends in deaths from infectious diseases: Infectious disease mortality decreased markedly in the U.S. during most of the 20th century