Syphilis & Mono

agent that causes syphilis

Treponema pallidum

gram stain and morphology of T. pallidum

gram negative spirochete

syphilis treatment

penicillin

microscopic method used to exam T. pallidum

darkfield microscopy

how can syphilis be transmitted

sexual contact or transplacentally (congenital)

three stages of syphilis

1. primary: chancres lasting 1-5 weeks

2. secondary: generalized illness and skin lesions containing many spirochetes lasting 2-6 weeks

3. late/tertiary: gummas develop 3-10 years after primary infection

congenital syphilis

contracted by the fetus during pregnancy

two types of antibodies formed in reaction to treponeme antigens

1. treponemal

2. nontreponemal

another name for nontreponemal antibodies

reagin antibodies

serologic testing for nontreponemal antibodies

1. VDRL: venereal disease research laboratory

2. RPR: rapid plasma reagin

serologic testing for treponemal antibodies

1. FTA-ABS: fluorescent treponema pallidum antibody absorption test

2. MHA-TP: microhemagglutination of T. pallidum

agent that causes infectious mononucleosis

epstein barr virus

EBV virus family

herpes virus

is EBv a DNA or RNA virus

DNA

can a person develop IM a second time

no, immunity is usually established with first time exposure

age group most commonly affected by IM

adolescents

IM incubation period

10-50 days

how long does IM usually last

1-4 weeks

WBC affected by EBV

B lymph

clinical manifestations of IM

1. extreme fatigue

2. malaise

3. sore throat

4. fever

5. cervical lymphadenopathy

immune response to EBV

heterophile antibodies

heterophile antibodies

antibodies that are stimulated by one antigen but react with an entirely unrelated surface antigen present on cells from different mammalian species

four characteristic features of IgM heterophile antibodies

1. react with horse, ox, sheep RBC

2. absorption by beef RBCs

3. no absorption by guinea pig kidney cells

4. no reaction with EBV-specific antigens

testing performed to confirm a diagnosis of IM

CBC with differential

morphologic reaction of the lymphocytes affected by EBV

reactive lymphs