Lecture Notes on Anaerobic and Intracellular Bacteria

These flashcards cover vocabulary terms related to anaerobic and intracellular bacteria, including key concepts, definitions, and significant examples.

Anaerobe

An organism that does not require oxygen for growth and may even be harmed by it.

Obligate Intracellular Bacteria

Bacteria that can only replicate inside the cells of a host.

Mycoplasma

A genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall, are pleomorphic, and can cause diseases in animals and humans.

Spirochetes

A group of bacteria characterized by their spiral shape and flexible cell wall, which includes pathogens like Treponema and Borrelia.

Clostridium

A genus of anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria that can cause diseases like tetanus and botulism.

Chlamydiaceae

A family of obligate intracellular bacteria that includes the genera Chlamydia and Chlamydophila, known for causing diseases in various animals and humans.

Zoonotic Potential

The capacity of a pathogen to be transmitted from animals to humans.

Coxiella burnetii

The causative agent of Q fever, which is an obligate intracellular bacterium.

Rickettsiales

An order of bacteria that are obligate intracellular parasites and include the family Rickettsiaceae.

Bacteroides fragilis

A Gram-negative rod that is a common component of human intestinal flora and can cause opportunistic infections.

Flagella

Long, whip-like structures that aid in the motility of certain bacteria.

Gram-negative

Bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining procedure, indicating a thinner peptidoglycan layer in their cell walls.

Pleomorphic

Describing bacteria that can have various shapes and sizes.

Hematology

The study of blood and its components, crucial for diagnosing diseases caused by bacteria affecting the blood.

Obligate Anaerobes

Bacteria that thrive in environments devoid of oxygen.

Coxiella burnetii

The bacterium responsible for Q fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans.

Chlamydophila psittaci

A pathogen that causes psittacosis in birds and can affect humans, typically presenting as a respiratory illness.