MICRO - Bacteria Associated with CVS and Lymphatic Infections 3 (Leptospirosis, Borrelia)

Spirochaetales

What order do Leptospira species belong to?

Spiral-shaped

What is the general shape of Leptospira?

Corkscrew motility

What type of motility do spirochetes exhibit?

Axial filaments

What structure enables motility in Leptospira?

Two

How many axial filaments does Leptospira typically have?

Three to five

How many insertion disks does Leptospira possess?

Hooked ends

What microscopic description characterizes Leptospira ends?

6-20 micrometers

What is the typical length of Leptospira organisms?

0.1 micrometers

What is the typical width of Leptospira?

Question mark

What appearance is used to describe Leptospira’s hooked ends?

Obligate aerobe

What type of oxygen requirement does Leptospira have?

Periplasmic flagella

What type of flagella does Leptospira use for movement?

Gram stain

What common stain cannot detect Leptospira?

Dark field

What microscopy technique is used to visualize Leptospira?

Silver stain

What stain method enhances visibility of Leptospira?

EMJH medium

What specialized medium is used for Leptospira culture?

28-30 deg C

What temperature is optimal for Leptospira growth?

Renal tubules

Where in animals does Leptospira persist chronically?

Animal urine

Through what contaminant is Leptospira most commonly transmitted?

Several weeks

How long can Leptospira survive in moist environments?

Leptospira interrogans

What species is the most pathogenic Leptospira?

Icterohaemorrhagiae

What serovar causes Weil’s disease?

Canicola

What serovar causes Canicola fever?

Pomona

What serovar is associated with cattle and pigs, causing Pomona fever?

Grippotyphosa

What serovar commonly causes aseptic meningitis?

Autumnalis

What serovar causes Autumnalis leptospirosis?

LPS

What major component of Leptospira resembles Gram-negative bacteria?

Less endotoxic

Is Leptospira’s LPS more or less endotoxic compared to other Gram-negatives?

LipL32

What outer membrane protein is the most abundant virulence lipoprotein?

Lig proteins

What protein family aids in adhesion and immune modulation?

Len proteins

What proteins bind extracellular matrix components like fibronectin?

Loa22

What OmpA-like protein contributes to inflammation?

Hemolysin

What toxin helps Leptospira degrade host membranes?

Sphingomyelinases

What enzymes help Leptospira break sphingomyelin?

Fibronectin-binding protein

What factor allows adhesion to fibronectin in host tissues?

Zoonitic

What type of disease transmission characterizes Leptospira interrogans?

Contaminated water

What is the primary environmental source of human Leptospira exposure?

Rodents

What animals serve as the main reservoirs of Leptospira interrogans?

Sewer workers

What occupational group has higher exposure risk?

Dark-field microscopy

What microscopic method is used to visualize Leptospira interrogans motility?

Corkscrew motility

What unique movement aids tissue penetration in Leptospira?

Mucous membranes

Through what body routes does Leptospira most commonly enter?

Kidneys

What body structure do Leptospires colonize to persist chronically?

Breastfeeding

What type of human-to-human transmission is rare but possible?

Bacteremic phase

What other name is used for the leptospiraemic phase?

Bloodstream

During the bacteremic phase, where are Leptospira found most abundantly?

TLR4

Which Toll-like receptor poorly recognizes Leptospira LPS?

TLR2-TLR5

Which receptors are important for defense against Leptospira?

Flu-like symptoms

What type of symptoms commonly occur in the acute phase?

Fibronectin

What ECM protein does Leptospira adhere to for invasion?

LigB

What adhesin protein is involved in customized cell attachment?

Endocytosis

Through what mechanism does Leptospira enter host cells?

Phagolysosome

Inside what structure can Leptospira survive after phagocytosis?

Weil’s disease

What is the severe icteric form of leptospirosis called?

Kidney failure

What major organ failure characterizes Weil’s disease?

Jaundice

What major visible sign appears in Weil’s disease?

Respiratory distress

What respiratory complication is common in Weil’s disease?

Cytokine storm

What phenomenon causes severe organ damage in Weil’s disease?

Collagenase

What tissue-degrading enzyme contributes to damage in Weil’s Disease?

IL-6

What cytokine is prominently elevated during infection?

IL-10

What cytokine is responsible for anti-inflammatory modulation?

Phagocytosis

What process fails to eliminate Leptospira effectively?

Inflammation

What pathological process results from excessive cytokine release?

Flu-like illness

What is the mild form of leptospirosis typically mistaken for?

Conjunctival suffusion

What eye finding is characteristic of leptospirosis?

Jaundice-renal failure-hemorrhage

What triad characterizes severe Weil’s disease?

Kidney

What organ excretes Leptospira chronically during infection?

STEMI

What cardiac condition can Leptospira mimic?

Direct invasion

What type of tissue invasion contributes to myocarditis?

Capillary leak

What vascular reaction leads to myocarditis complications?

Conduction block

What arrhythmia type may occur in leptospiral myocarditis?

Headache

What early symptom commonly presents after urine exposure?

Hematogenous spread

What type of systemic spread characterizes Leptospira?

Interstitial nephritis

What renal lesion commonly appears during infection?

Delirium

What neurologic symptom may develop in severe cases?

Fatigue

After recovery, what long-term symptom may persist?

Oliguria

What urinary condition may appear due to renal involvement?

Blood

What specimen is most used early in leptospirosis?

Dark-field

What microscopy technique detects Leptospira early?

EMJH

What medium is used for Leptospira culture?

MAT

What is the gold standard serologic test for leptospirosis?

Above 1:10,000

What titer level on MAT is highly diagnostic?

ELISA IgM

What rapid test detects IgM early in disease?

Whole blood

What PCR sample is preferred during the first four days?

Urine

What sample becomes ideal for PCR after one week?

Immunohistochemistry

What pathology method confirms fatal cases?

Kidney

What fixed tissue is preferred for lethal case confirmation?

Doxycycline

What is the drug of choice for leptospirosis?

Penicillins

What class of antibiotic is also effective early in disease of leptospirosis?

Intravenous

What route of administration is required for severe leptospirosis?

Doxycyline

What antibiotic prevents severe complications if given early?

Protective clothing

What precaution should be taken before entering floodwater?

Waterproof bandages

What should be used to cover open wounds?

Rodents

What animal population should be controlled to prevent leptospirosis?

Doxycyline

What prophylaxis is recommended after high-risk exposure?

Borreliaceae

What family does Borrelia belong to?

Helical spirochete

What is the general shape of Borrelia?

Loosely coiled

How does Borrelia appear under light microscopy using Giemsa stain?

10-30 micrometers

What is the typical length range of Borrelia organisms?

0.3 micrometers

What is the typical width of Borrelia?