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Overview of Normal Flora, Pathogenic - PPTX, First Session

This document provides an overview of normal flora, pathogens, and vectors. It defines normal flora as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that live harmlessly in the body. Pathogens are organisms that can cause disease, while vectors transmit pathogens between hosts. The document identifies where normal flora are typically found in the body and their importance. It describes the major types of pathogens and vectors and provides examples. Key points are that normal flora, pathogens, and vectors have distinct characteristics and classifications.
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
178 views

Overview of Normal Flora, Pathogenic - PPTX, First Session

This document provides an overview of normal flora, pathogens, and vectors. It defines normal flora as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that live harmlessly in the body. Pathogens are organisms that can cause disease, while vectors transmit pathogens between hosts. The document identifies where normal flora are typically found in the body and their importance. It describes the major types of pathogens and vectors and provides examples. Key points are that normal flora, pathogens, and vectors have distinct characteristics and classifications.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Overview of Normal Flora,

Pathogenic
Organisms and Vectors

Dr George C. Kasonda

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, students are
expected to be able to:
Define normal flora, pathogens and vectors
Identify normal flora found in different body
parts
Explain the importance of normal flora
Explain different types of pathogens and
vectors
Describe general characteristics of
pathogens and vectors

Normal floras: Are bacteria, fungi, and protozoa


that live on or within the bodies of animals and
plants without doing any harm in healthy individuals.
o They may be commensalists or mutualists with
regard to the host.
o Basically they do not harm the host; however they
can even do some good.
Pathogen: Is an organism which is capable to cause
pathological condition to another organism
o Invasion of the body by pathogenic organism is
called infection.
Vector: Is an organism that conveys pathogens from
one host to another.

Normal Flora found in the Body


and their Importance
Normal flora tends to be commensal or mutual symbionts
adapted to the special conditions found in various body
locations.
Normal flora are found mostly:
o On Skin
o In Eyes
o In the nose
o In mouth and pharynx
o In urethra
o In lower GIT
o In vagina
o External ear

Skin normal frola

Example of normal flora


Skin Staphylococcus epidermidis
Corynebacteria
Mycobacteria
Streptococcus pyogenes
Staphylococcus aureus

Eyes

Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pyogenes
Neisseria species.
Escherichia coli
Proteus sp
Haemophilus influenzae
Corynebacteria

Nose

Mycobacteria
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria sp.
Escherichia coli
Proteus sp
Haemophilus influenzae
Corynebacteria

Mouth and pharynx

Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria sp.
Escherichia coli
Proteus sp
Haemophilus influenza
Corynebacteria
Mycobacteria
Streptococcus mitis
Streptococcus salivarius

Streptococcus mutans
Enterococcus faecalis
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Streptococcus pyogenes
Lactobacillus sp.
Actinomycetes
Spirochetes
Mycoplasmas
Clostidium species

Urethra

Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus mitis
Enterococcus faecalis
Neisseria sp
Escherichia coli
Proteus sp.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Bacteroides sp.
Corynebacteria
Mycobacteria
Mycoplasmas

Lower GIT

Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus mitis
Enterococcus faecalis
Streptococcus pyogenes
Escherichia coli
Proteus sp
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Bacteroides sp.
Bifidobacterium bifidum

Lactobacillus sp.
Clostridium sp
Corynebacteria
Mycobacteria
Spirochetes
Mycoplasmas

Vagina

Streptococcus pyogenes)
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus mitis
Enterococcus faecalis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Neisseria sp.
Neisseria meningitidis
Escherichia coli

Proteus sp.
Bacteroides sp.
Lactobacillus sp.
Corynebacteria
Mycoplasmas
External ear Corynebacterium

External ear
Corynebacterium spp
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis

Types of Normal Flora


Resident flora: Are members of the
normal flora that are always present
at their specific
site of the body or re-establishes
after being eliminated by antibiotics.
Transient flora: Are members of
the normal flora that are not always
present or present
for only a few days, weeks, or
months before disappearing.

Importance of Normal Flora


They compete for space and
nutrients with pathogens (microbial
antagonism)
They are protective against
pathogens hence they add up to the
immunity of the body
Some of them synthesize vitamins
Enteric normal flora help with
digestion

Types of Pathogens
There are two major groups of pathogens.
Microbiological pathogens
These are the pathogens of microscopic size
and include viruses, bacteria and fungi.
Parasitological pathogens
These are the pathogens which are larger in
size as compared to microbiological
pathogens and include protozoans and
helminths(worms).

Types of Vectors
Biological vectors
o Vectors which can support life and/ or
development of pathogenic organisms in their
tissues and transmit. Examples, mosquitoes,
tsetse flies
Mechanical vectors
o Vectors which transmit pathogens
mechanically (no development of the
pathogens take place).
Examples, houseflies and cockroaches.

Characteristics of
Pathogens
All of them are living organisms
They all cause diseases by various
mechanisms
Can be found inside or outside the
human body
Some of them reproduce while in the
human host, some of them in the
vector(intermediate host) and some of
them outside the host.

Characteristics of
Vectors
They are all arthropods however snails which
are intermediate hosts are conveniently
considered vectors.
They are invertebrates
They are capable of transmitting diseases
Biological vectors can support development
of pathogenic organisms in their tissues then
transmit the pathogens.

Mechanical vectors cannot support


development of the pathogenic
organisms but can transmit
pathogens mechanically.
The biological vectors feed on the
host. For the pathogenic transmission
to occur the vector has to come in
contact with the host looking for
blood.

Key Points
Normal flora is bacteria, fungi, and
protozoa that live on or within the
bodies of animals
and plants without doing any harm
in healthy individuals.
Pathogens are organisms which are
capable of causing pathological
condition to other
organisms.

Pathogens are classified into


different groups like viruses,
bacteria, fungi, protozoa and
helminthes based on their different
characteristics.
Vectors also bear different
characteristic, therefore they are also
classified into different
groups like mechanical and biological
vectors respectively.

References
Becker, F.J. & Silverton, R.E. (1985). Introduction to Medical
Laboratory Technology (6th ed.). London: Butterworth.
Black, J.G. (1996). Microbiology. Principles and Applications (3rd
ed.).
Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. pp. 392-394, 395-397.
Cook, G. (2000). Mansons Tropical Diseases (22nd ed.). London:
WB Saunders Company Ltd.
Greenwood, D., Richard, C.B.S. & John, F.P. (1992). Medical
Microbiology (4th ed.). Hong Kong: ELBS with Churchill Livingstone,
Medical Division of Longman Group, UK Ltd.

Harwood, R.F. & James, M.T. (1979). Entomology in


Human and Animal Health (7th ed.). Pulman:
Washington State University.

Jawetz, Melnick, & Adelberg's. (2007). Medical


Microbiology (24th ed.). USA: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
Levinson, W. (2004). Medical Microbiology and
Immunology. Examination & Board, (8th ed.).
New York: International Edition Lange Medical Books
/McGraw Hill Medical Publishing & Davson,

Monica, C. (1987). Medical Laboratory Manual


for Tropical Countries. Volume 1 (2nd ed.).
Oxford: ELBS Butterworth, Heinemann Ltd.
Monica, C. (1998). District Laboratory Practice
in Tropical Countries. Part 1. Tropical Health
Technology. NOIDA, India: Gapson Papers Ltd.
Monica, C. (2000). District Laboratory Practice
in Tropical Countries. Part 2. Tropical Health
Technology. UK: Cambridge University Press

Satish, G. (1982). The short Handbook of Medical


Microbiology. New Delhi. India: Jaypee Brothers
Medical Publishers PVT Ltd.
Tortora, G.J., Funke, B.R., & Case, C.L. (1995).
Microbiology. An Introduction (5th ed.). The
Benjamin/Cummings Publishing, Co., Inc., Redwood
City, CA, pp. 366-369.
United Republic Of Tanzania. (2007). Training
Course on Laboratory Diagnosis of Malaria.
Malaria Control Series 17. National Malaria Control
Programme of the Ministry
of Health and Social Welfare.

T H A

Y O

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