Arthropods and Bacteria

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on Arthropods and Bacteria, including Rickettsiae, various infections, symptoms, reservoirs, transmission, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Rickettsia akari

A bacterium spread by arthropods, part of Rickettsiae infections.

Bartonella bacilliformis

A bacterium causing Carrion's disease, transmitted by sandflies.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

A disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, characterized by fever, headache, and rash.

Mediterranean spotted fever

Rickettsia conorii. Found in all Mediterranean countries. Transmitted by Rhipicephalus.

Epidemic Typhus

Disease caused by Rickettsiae prowazekii, transmitted from person to person by lice.

Coxiella burnetii

The causative agent of Q fever, transmitted from infected farm animals.

Borrelia burgdorferi

Bacterium that causes Lyme disease, transmitted by hard ticks.

Ehrlichia risticii

An intracellular bacterium associated with canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis.

Francisella tularensis

A small coccobacillus known as the causative agent of tularemia. Rabbits and hares are Type A infections

Yersinia pestis

The bacterium that causes plague, transmitted by fleas from infected rodents.

Test for Rickettsiae infection

Microimmunofluorescence or western blot immunoassay used for diagnosis.

Epidemic Typhus Symptoms

Fever, headache, and flu-like symptoms appearing 10-14 days after louse bite.

Rickettsia rickettsii transmission

Transmitted through tick bites, primarily from rodent hosts. Grows only in cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. Can be transovarian in ticks

Plague

A disease caused by Yersinia pestis, characterized by buboes and high mortality.

Diagnosis of F. tularensis

Diagnosed by serological tests and culture on specific media.

Q fever Symptoms

Flu-like symptoms with high-grade fever associated with Coxiella burnetii.

Rickettsial vasculitis

Involves inflammation of the blood vessels in Rickettsiae infections.

Lyme disease complications

Untreated Lyme disease may lead to arthritis, cardiac dysfunction, or neurological issues.

Bartonella quintana

Causes trench fever, primarily affecting those in unsanitary conditions.

Humans as accidental hosts

Humans do not play a role in the typical life cycle of many zoonotic pathogens.

Scrub Typhus

Caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted by mites with eschar formation.

Diagnosis of Ehrlichiosis

Serology detecting antibodies against Ehrlichia species.

Rickettsial reservoirs

Typically rodents or arthropods, depending on the species.

Micro immunofluorescence

A sensitive diagnostic test used to detect Rickettsiae antibodies.

Bacteremia

The presence of bacteria in the bloodstream, relevant for several infections.

Brill-Zinsser disease

A reactivation of epidemic typhus due to Rickettsiae re-emerging from lymph nodes.

Rickettsial infections treatment

Doxycycline is the preferred treatment for most infections.

Incubation period for Lyme disease

3 to 30 days after a tick bite.

Yersinia enterocolitica

An enteric pathogenic bacterium related to Yersinia pestis.

Culture dangers for Rickettsia

Culturing Rickettsia is risky and not usually attempted.

Bacillary angiomatosis

A condition that may arise from B. quintana infection in immunocompromised patients.

Maculopapular rash

A common clinical feature appearing after tick bites in some Rickettsial infections.

Primary reservoir for Ehrlichia species

White-tailed deer serve as key reservoirs for human infections.

Tick-vectored diseases

Diseases transmitted through the bites of infected ticks.

Complications of R. rickettsii

Neurological, pulmonary, renal failure, and cardiac abnormalities.

Symptoms of tularemia

Includes ulceroglandular and oculoglandular forms with localized papules.

Chronic Q fever

Persistent symptoms lasting longer than 6 months, often in at-risk patients.

Bartonella henselae

The causative agent of cat scratch disease, transmitted through scratches.

Viral response to Ehrlichia

Ehrlichia species can disturb the function of the immune response.

Rickettsiae persistence

These bacteria can remain latent in the body for extended periods.

Coxiella burnetii replication

Replicates inside cells such as macrophages and endothelial cells.

Vector for ehrlichiosis

Lone star tick is the primary vector for various Ehrlichia species.

Macular rash in RMSF

A hallmark symptom that appears after several days following tick bite.

Test for identifying Coxiella

Requires special media and conditions for culture, indicating slow growth.

Reservoir animals for R. prowazekii

Lice are essential for the transmission and survival of this bacterium.

Symptoms of R. prowazekii infection

Characterized by high fever, generalized rash, and neurological complications.

Treatment for B. recurrentis infection

Tetracyclines are the preferred antibiotics for treating this relapsing fever. Jarisch-Hercheimer reaction can occur in patients of treatment.

Supratentorial immune response

The immune response generated by the body relative to the pathogen load.

Buboes in Y. pestis

Painful swollen lymph nodes, indicative of bubonic plague.