flash cards

Bacterial Toxins

Substances produced by bacteria that can interfere with the normal functioning of host cells or tissues.

Exotoxins

Toxins secreted by bacteria into the environment that can travel to distant tissues and are usually proteins.

Endotoxins

Components of the outer membrane of gram negative bacteria that are released upon bacterial cell death.

Pathogenicity

The ability of an organism to cause disease.

Toxoided

The process of altering a toxin to create a non-poisonous form for immunization.

Neurotoxins

Exotoxins that affect nerve cells.

Enterotoxins

Exotoxins that affect the gastrointestinal tract.

Haemolysins

Toxins that can cause the rupture (lysis) of red blood cells.

Clostridium botulinum

A bacterium that produces the highly potent botulinum toxin.

Diphtheria Toxin

A toxin that binds to host cells and blocks protein synthesis, leading to the disease diphtheria.

Lysis

The rupture or destruction of cells.

Streptococcus pyogenes

A bacterium responsible for illnesses like strep throat and can produce exotoxins that damage red blood cells.

Pseudomembrane

A thick layer of dead cells and toxins seen in diphtheria infection, obstructing the airway.

Gram Negative Bacteria

Bacteria characterized by their thin peptidoglycan cell wall and outer membrane, often associated with endotoxins.

Case Fatality Rate

The proportion of individuals diagnosed with a particular disease who die from that disease.