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Bacterial Pathogenesis
Micro - Fundamentals
10
Medical
Graduate
08/20/2012

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Term
Opportunistic Pathogens
Definition
Rarely cause disease in healthy hosts, but regularly cause disease in compromised hosts.
Term
Primary Pathogens
Definition
Rarely associate with a host except in the case of disease.
Term
Virulence
Definition
Relative ability of organisms to cause infection and disease.
Term
Koch's Postulates
Definition
Agent must be present in every case. Agent must be isolated from host and cultured. If agent is inoculated into a new host must produce disease. Same agent must be recovered from that new host.
Term
Molecular Koch's Postulates
Definition
Trait should be associated with more pathogenic strains. Inactivation of gene should eliminate or decrease virulence. When mutated gene is restored virulence should also be restored.
Term
Stages of Infection
Definition
Encounter, entry, colonization, multiplication, invasion/dissemination.
Term
Quorom Sensing
Definition
When density reaches a threshold bacteria communicate with each other using small secreted molecules. They can then express virulence factors, form biofilms or become more resistant to antibiotics, depending on the species.
Term
Endotoxin
Definition
LPS, expressed only on Gram neg. bacteria, binds TLR-4 and causes a wide range of cytokine and cell-induced inflammatory reactions, from fever to death.
Term
Exotoxin
Definition
Both Gram pos and neg can make these, few broad classes exist, most important of which are pore-forming which lyse cells and enzymatic which enter cells and alter signaling or metabolism.
Term
Obtaining Iron
Definition
Bacteria require iron to multiply in vivo. Siderophores are small molecules that bind iron and bring it back to the bacterium. Lactoferrin/transferrin binding proteins allow bacteria to acquire iron from host storage molecules.
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