Term
| what bug is responsible for syphilis? |
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Definition
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Term
| what bug is responsible for gonorrhea? |
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Definition
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Term
| T/F: Treponemes belong to the order of Spirochaetales. |
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Definition
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Term
| what other genus belongs to this order? |
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Definition
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Term
| what does "spirochaetales" mean? |
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Definition
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Term
| what provides the cork-screw like motion of T. pallidum? |
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Definition
| its specialized flagella made of axial filaments |
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Term
| T/F: T. pallidum is visible on standard microscopy. |
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Definition
| False. Need to use Dark-Field microscopy |
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Term
| HHow is T. pallidum spread? |
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Definition
| since it's sensitive to drying and heat, it needs PERSON TO PERSON contact |
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Term
| Where do Bacteria go after they are carried to lymphatic channels? |
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Definition
| systemic circulation (think of how lymph drains back to blood). |
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Term
| considering the primary, secondary, and tertiary stages of syphilis, which are infectious? |
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Definition
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Term
| how long does it take for the chancre --red hard bump (as seen in the primary stage of syphilis)-- to develop after initial infection? |
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Definition
| 9 days to 3 months. Key point: Doesn't happen fast |
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Term
| how long til patient sees a spontaneous healing of chancre (thus providing a false sense of relief)? |
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Definition
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Term
| In 3 weeks and up to 6 months after their false sense of relief, a rash and other symptoms develop. What is this presentation sometimes referred to as? |
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Definition
| "The Great Imitator" because it resembles other possible infections |
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Term
| where do you see the rash that develops during the secondary stage of syphilis? |
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Definition
| on palms of hands and soles of feet |
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Term
| How long does it take for tertiary stage of syphilis to present ? |
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Definition
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Term
| what is characteristic of the tertiary stage of syphilis? |
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Definition
| tissue damage to multiple organs caused by immunological response |
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Term
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Definition
| lesions that destroy bone and soft tissue. |
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Term
| do you see Many, or Very Few, treponemes in these lesions? |
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Definition
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Term
| T/F: Delusions of grandeur accompany the tertiary stage of syphilis |
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Definition
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Term
| what is congenital syphilis? |
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Definition
| treponemes cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus |
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Term
| can you prevent congenital syphilis? |
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Definition
| you have to treat the mother within the first 4 months of pregnancy |
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Term
| what happens in a non-specific test for syphilis? (Veneral Diseases Research Laboratory and Rapid Plasma Reagin tests...VDRL & RPR) |
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Definition
| person's antibodies react with cardiolipin (from beef heart) |
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Term
| what is the main problem with the non-specific test? |
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Definition
| they produce false positives |
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Term
| what do you do if a person tests positive for the non-specific test? |
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Definition
| you confirm with a specific test. |
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Term
| what is a specific test for syphilis? |
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Definition
| uses actual treponemal antigens. (names of test are: FTA-ABS and MHA-TP) |
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Term
| what is the drug of choice for treatment of syphilis? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| can we target syphilis for eradication? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| what is the Tuskegee study? |
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Definition
| longest NON-therapeutic study on humans in the history of medicine. Patients never offered ABx so that course of disease could be monitored. |
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Term
| T/F: syphilis and gonorrhea are reportable sexually transmitted disease |
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Definition
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Term
| what is the ONLY host of Neisseria gonorrhoeae? |
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Definition
| humans. the major reservoir is asymptomatic infected person |
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Term
| T/F: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is observed in women with gonorrhea. |
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Definition
|
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Term
| what is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? |
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Definition
| infection of the upper reproductive structures which are normally free of bacteria. |
|
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Term
| what are two causes of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? |
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Definition
| Chlamydia trachomatis and Nesseria gonorrhoeae |
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Term
| what problems can manifest from a systemic spread of N. gonorrhoeae? |
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Definition
| skin lesions, endocarditis, arthritis |
|
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Term
| what bacterial structure is responsible for antigenic variability (and thus making vaccines ineffective)? |
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Definition
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