Short questions for microbiology exam II

Infectious disease that is always present at low level

Endemic

worldwide outbreak

Pandemic

Few scattered cases within a given area. Doesn’t really grow and spread

Sporadic

• no signs or symptoms

• Length depends on how many pathogens entered, point of entry, immunity

• Pathogens takes hold of cells

Incubation period

• vague, general symptoms (malaise)

• Possibly contagious

Prodromal period

• most severe signs and symptoms that characterize the disease of the body

• Acme peak was reached - “fever breaks”

Illness

• declining signs and symptoms 

• Combo of immune system and medication to deal with disease 

Decline 

• no signs or symptoms

• Body tissues are repairing

• Possibly a sequelae : bad consequences of infection that occurs later

Convalescence

Crosses placenta to protect fetus

IgG

• antibody of primary immune response

• Made by naïve B cells

IgM

• secretory antibody found in tears, saliva, mucus, and breast milk 

IgA

• triggers release of anti-parasitic molecules from eosinophils (worm infections)

• Triggers release of histamine from mast cells and basophils (allergic reactions)

IgE

Antibodies block the activity of a pathogen 

Neutralization 

Multiple pathogens are aggregated by antibody molecules

Agglutination

• Antibody - Dependent Cell Mediated Cytotoxity

• Cause damage to infected cells by binding to viral antigens and activating the complement system

ADCC

• signaling proteins that are released by cells infected with viruses

• Act as a warning system to neighboring cells

Interferon, alpha and beta

• engulf and digest foreign particles, like bacteria or dead cells

• “PAC-man”

Phagocytosis 

• proteins in your blood that work together to destroy pathogens

• Directly kill bacteria, tag them for destruction by phagocytes, or trigger inflammation

Complement

• Certain molecules (like antibodies or complement proteins) coat a pathogen, making it easier for phagocytes to recognize and engulf it

Opsonisation

• recognize and kill infected cells or tumor cells without prior sensitization

• Quick to act and don’t need a specific

NK cells