Herpes Simplex, Viral Infections, and Pathogenic Bacteria Lecture Notes

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering viral taxonomy, diagnostic laboratory methods like shell vial culture and the Tzanck test, and the pathology and diagnosis of Rubella, CMV, Anthrax, Toxoplasmosis, and Amoebiasis.

Human alphaherpesvirus 1

The taxonomical name for Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1).

Human alphaherpesvirus 2

The taxonomical name for Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2).

Encephalitis

An infection of the brain that can be caused by both HSV-1 and HSV-2, particularly in those with severely compromised immune systems, requiring intravenous therapy.

Herpes keratitis

An eye condition caused by the herpes simplex virus spreading to the eyes, characterized by symptoms like eye pain, discharge, and a gritty feeling.

PCR test

A diagnostic test that looks for pieces of a virus's DNA; it is commonly and accurately used to diagnose genital herpes even in asymptomatic individuals.

Shell vials

$15\,mm \times 45\,mm$ 1-dram vials prepared with a coverslip and cell monolayer used in centrifugation-enhanced culture to reduce viral isolation times to $16\,h$ to $48\,h$.

MRC-5

Human fibroblast cells used as a cell line in shell vial culture for detecting viruses like HSV and CMV.

Tzanck test

A simple, quick procedure used to diagnose skin conditions by scraping the base of a fresh vesicle and staining cells (commonly with Giemsa) to look for cytopathic changes.

Rubella

Also known as German measles or three-day measles, it is caused by the rubella virus of the Genus Rubivirus and Family Togaviridae.

Forchheimer spots

Small, red papules on the area of the soft palate occurring in approximately $20\%$ of rubella cases.

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS)

A severe condition following intrauterine infection by the rubella virus comprising cardiac, cerebral, ophthalmic, and auditory defects.

Blueberry muffin lesions

A rare skin condition in newborns infected with rubella, characterized by widespread, raised blue-red or violaceous lesions.

Teratogenic

A term describing something capable of interfering with a fetus's normal development and causing birth defects, such as the rubella virus.

Human herpes virus 5 (HHV 5)

The older taxonomical name for Cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Latent infection

An infection that remains dormant in body cells for life after primary infection and can reactivate later to cause disease, typical of members of the Herpesviridae family.

Owl's eye

The characteristic appearance of CMV inclusion bodies within infected cells when viewed under a microscope.

Ganciclovir (Cytovene)

The first antiviral medication approved for CMV infection and the drug of choice for treatment, typically administered intravenously.

Valganciclovir (Valcyte)

An oral medication activated to ganciclovir in the body, used widely to prevent CMV infection.

Bacillus anthracis

The first bacterium shown to cause disease; it is a gram-positive, non-motile, aerobic, spore-forming, boxcar-shaped rod.

Medusa head-like

The appearance of Bacillus anthracis colonies under a microscope, which look like a tangled mass of long, hair-like curls due to serpentine chains of bacilli.

Beaten egg white

A description of the disturbed portion of a Bacillus anthracis colony when pushed inwards and gently lifted with an inoculating needle.

Protective antigen (PA)

A component of the complex protein toxin produced by B. anthracis; it is required for both edema and lethality.

Malignant Pustule

A common name for cutaneous anthrax, characterized by a papule that develops into a vesicle and then a black eschar with a prominent inflammatory ring.

Woolsorter’s Disease

Another name for inhalation or pulmonary anthrax, occurring when spores are inhaled from animal products like wool.

M’Fadyean Stain

A polychrome methylene blue stain used to see the pink-stained poly-d-glutamic acid capsule surrounding the purple-stained vegetative bacilli of B. anthracis.

String of Pearls Test

A test for Bacillus anthracis where incubation with penicillin produces strings of spherical forms resembling a string of pearls.

Ascoli Test

A precipitin test used to detect B. anthracis antigens in suspected meat extracts using antiserum prepared from infected rabbits.

Toxoplasma gondii

A single species of crescent-shaped protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa that causes toxoplasmosis.

Sabin-Feldman dye test

A sensitive, specific neutralization test for toxoplasmosis that uses live tachyzoites to measure IgG antibody; it is the standard reference test.

Entamoeba histolytica

The parasitic protozoan responsible for amoebiasis, characterized by a life cycle including trophozoite, precystic, and cystic stages.

Amoebic dysentery

A typical manifestation of intestinal amoebiasis involving large, foul-smelling, brownish-black stools with blood-streaked mucus.

Amoeboma

An inflammatory thickening of the wall of the large bowel resulting from E. histolytica infection that resembles carcinoma of the colon.