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Microbial Pathogenicity

The document discusses microbial pathogenicity and related terms. It defines parasites, pathogens, opportunistic pathogens, and virulence. It also describes different types of infections like primary, re-infection, and nosocomial. Factors that increase microbial virulence are discussed, including adherence through fimbriae and capsules, invasiveness through enzymes, and toxin production through exotoxins and endotoxins. The key difference between exotoxins and endotoxins is that exotoxins are proteins that are heat labile and actively secreted, while endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides that are heat stable and part of the bacterial cell wall.

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47 views

Microbial Pathogenicity

The document discusses microbial pathogenicity and related terms. It defines parasites, pathogens, opportunistic pathogens, and virulence. It also describes different types of infections like primary, re-infection, and nosocomial. Factors that increase microbial virulence are discussed, including adherence through fimbriae and capsules, invasiveness through enzymes, and toxin production through exotoxins and endotoxins. The key difference between exotoxins and endotoxins is that exotoxins are proteins that are heat labile and actively secreted, while endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides that are heat stable and part of the bacterial cell wall.

Uploaded by

jamila
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MICROBIAL

pathogenicity
MICROBES AND RELATED TERMS
 Based on their relation ship with the host microbes
can be
 Saprophytes : these are free living microorganisms
those are living with a dead organism.
 Parasites: is a living micro organism which lives on
a living host and derives its nutrition from the host
with out any benefit to the host.
 Pathogen: microorganism which is capable of
producing a disease.
 Opportunistic pathogen: some commensals can
produce a disease when the host resistance is
lowered.
 Virulence: refers to the degree of pathogenicity.
INFECTION
 Infection : is the lodgment and multiplication of a parasite in
the body.
All infections do not produce a disease
 Types of infection
 Primary infection: is the initial infection of parasite with a host
 Re-infection : the subsequent infection of the same parasite in
the same host.
 Cross-infection: when a host already suffering from a disease
acquires a new infection from another host.
 Nosocomial infection: is the hospital acquired infection
 Iatrogenic infection: is the physician induced infection resulting
from the drug therapy .
 Sub-clinical infection: is when the clinical symptoms of a
infection are not apparent.
SOURCES OF INFECTION
 Reservoir : means any source ( human, animal, plant
or inanimate object in which parasites normally lives.
These may be
A. Endogenous source: organisms of normal flora are
usually non-pathogens but occasionally they behave
as pathogen outside their habitat.
B. Exogenous source: include
 Human/animal (cases and carriers).
 Animals to humans (zoonotic Diseases)
 Insects to humans/ Animals
 Contaminated food Campylobacter species (raw
meat, milk)
 Contaminated water
MODES OF DISEASE TRANSMISSION
 Direct contact : e.g. Anthrax caused by Bacillus anthracis
 Indirect contact (fomites): e.g. cloths, toys etc.
 Droplet (Airborne) : e.g. respiratory diseases such as
influenza (Avian influenza) and common cold.
 Ingestion : intestinal infections such as salmonellosis and
Giardias
 Inoculation : e.g. bite of rabid animal (Rabies)
 Vectors : e.g. mosquito, flies, fleas , ticks , mites and lice.
 Transplacental: some infections can cross the placental
barrier and infect the fetus this is known as vertical
transmission.
DIRECT CONTACT
TRANSMISSION
 Microbes directly transferred from an infected
person/Animal to another person/Animal
 Examples
 Contactwith blood or other body fluids
 Ungloved contact with a scabies-infested patient
 Ungloved contact with wounds or mucous
membranes
INDIRECT CONTACT
TRANSMISSION
 Microbes transferred through contaminated
intermediate object
 Examples
 Healthcare personnel not performing adequate
hand hygiene between patients
 Sharing medical equipment without cleaning or
disinfection between patients
 Defective medical equipment allowing for
inadequate disinfection or sterilization
DROPLET TRANSMISSION
 Respiratory droplets carrying infectious pathogens
 Generated during coughing, sneezing, talking, or certain
medical procedures (e.g. suctioning)
 Respiratory diseases such as influenza and common
cold.
 Typically refers to distances within 3 feet of infected Host
 Face-to-face contact only is not required
 Special ventilation systems are required to prevent
airborne transmission.
FACTORS THAT INCREASE MICROBIAL
PATHOGENICITY

The virulence of pathogenic


microorganisms is associated with
 adherence,
invasiveness,
capsule production,
toxin production,
aggressiveness
and other factors.
Adherence
Adherence factor Description
Filamentous hemagglutinin Causes adherence to erythrocytes

Fimbriae Help attach to solid bacteria to solid


surfaces

Glycocalyx or capsule Inhibits phagocytosis and aids in


adherence

Pili Bind bacteria together for transfer of


genetic material

Teichoic and lipoteichoic Cell wall components in gram


acid positive bacteria that aid in adhesion
ROLE OF CAPSULE IN BACTERIAL
VIRULENCE.
Some pathogenic microorganisms
(B. anthracis, C. perfringens, S.
pneumo-niae) are capable of
producing a capsule in animal and
human bodies.

Certain microorganisms produce


capsules in the organism as well as in
nutrient media.).
CAPSULE PRODUCTION
Capsule production makes
the microbes resistant to
phagocytosis and antibodies,
and increases their invasive
properties.
Thus, for example,
capsular anthrax bacilli are
not subject to phagocytosis,
while noncapsular variants are
easily phagocytized.
Invasive properties of pathogenic
bacteria
Virulent microbes are characterized
by the ability to penetrate tissues of
the infected organism and spread
(invasive properties).

collagenase and hyaluronidase


immunoglobulin A protease
leukocidins
M-protein
protein A
Toxin production
According to the nature of
production, microbial toxins are
subdivided into exotoxins and
endotoxins.
A. Exotoxins :
Exotoxins easily diffuse from the cell into
the surrounding nutrient medium.
They are characterized by a High toxicity,
and act on the susceptible organism in very
small doses.
Exotoxins have the properties of enzymes
hydrolysing important components of the cells
of tissues and organs.
Exotoxins may be devided into fifth categories on
the basis of the site affected:

neurotoxins (tetanotoxin, botulotoxin)


C. tetani, C. botulinum, B. cereus, S. aureus;
cytotoxins (enterotoxins, dermatonecrotoxin)
E. coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., V.
cholerae, C. perfringens;
functional blockators (cholerogen), V.
cholerae;
membranotoxins (hemolysins, leucocidin), S.
aureus;
exfoliatin S. aureus.
ENDOTOXINS
are more firmly bound with the body
of the bacterial cell,
are less toxic and act on the organism
in large doses;
their latent period is usually
estimated in hours,
the selective action is poorly
expressed.
Mostly present in the gram negative
bacteria
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXOTOXINS AND ENDOTOXINS

exotoxins endotoxins
Proteins Lipopolysaccharides
Heat labile Heat stable
Actively secreted by cells, form part of cell wall,do
diffuse into surrounding not diffuse into
medium surrounding medium
Readily separable from Obtained only by cell
cultures by physical lysing
means such as filtration
Action often enzymic No enzymic action
Specific pharmacological Non-specific action of all
effect for each exotoxin endotoxins
Specific tissue affinities No specific tissue affinity
Active in very minute Active only in very large
doses doses
Highly antigenic Weakly antigenic

Stimulate formation of Do not stimulate formation


antitoxin which neutralizes of antitoxin
toxin

Converted into toxoid by Can not be toxoided


formaldehyde
Produced by both gram- Produced by gram-
positive bacteria and negative bacteria only
gram-negative bacteria

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