Gram Negative Rods Overview

These flashcards include key vocabulary and concepts related to gram-negative rods, emphasizing their characteristics, pathogenesis, and clinical significance.

Enterobacteriaceae

A family of gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that includes many pathogens and harmless commensals.

Facultative Anaerobes

Bacteria that can grow in both the presence and absence of oxygen.

Virulence Factors

Characteristics that enable bacteria to cause disease, such as toxins and adhesins.

Escherichia coli

A common bacterium that has various pathogenic strains causing diseases like diarrhea and colitis.

Urease

An enzyme produced by some bacteria, including Proteus, that hydrolyzes urea, raising urine pH.

Shiga Toxin

A potent toxin produced by certain strains of E. coli that inhibits protein synthesis in host cells.

Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS)

A severe complication from certain E. coli infections characterized by anemia, low platelet count, and kidney failure.

Polysaccharide Capsule

A layer surrounding some bacteria, like Klebsiella, that protects them from host immune responses.

Type III Secretion System

A needle-like structure used by some bacteria to inject proteins into host cells, aiding invasion.

Typhoidal Salmonella

Salmonella serotypes that cause systemic infections, like typhoid fever.

Bubonic Plague

A form of plague caused by Yersinia pestis, characterized by painful swollen lymph nodes.

Intracellular Motility

A mechanism where bacteria like Shigella move within host cells, evading the immune response.

Supportive Care

Treatment that focuses on relieving symptoms and maintaining well-being; important in infections that are self-limiting.