Person to Person Bacterial Diseases: Respiratory

Characteristics of Group A Strep

• Gram-positive cocci that grow in long chains

• Often found colonizing healthy adults with no illness

• Mainly found in the upper respiratory tract, but can also infect other tissues

• cause strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis)

Rheumatic Fever

A bacterial cell surface antigen resembles a normal human surface antigen, caused by Strep Group A.

Scarlet Fever

Can result from strep A by producing erythrogenic or pyrogenic exotoxin that act as super antigens.

Sequela

Secondary diseases caused by a primary disease.

Invasive Infections

Invade parts of the body where bacteria are not normally present (blood)

Necrotizing Fasciitis

An invasive infection in deep tissue where exotoxins and A-proteins act as super antigens that cause a hyper immune response

Streptococcal pharyngitis

Strep Throat - toxins lyse red blood cells

Pertussis

Respiratory bacterial disease, causes whooping cough

Post-exposure prophylaxis

Antibiotics for people in contact with someone infected with pertussis.

Tuberculosis

Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, intracellular parasites, cell membrane has a high lipid content that allows it to live inside macrophages and be protected from the immune system.

Tubercles

Immune response forms around infection sites creating a nodule.

Granuloma

Tubercles that calcify and becomes visible on X-ray

Latent TB

The disease process stops but the bacteria is still alive

Active TB

The disease is ongoing and the bacteria is alive

Meningitis

Streptococcal pneumonia and result in inflammation meninges that can cause death.

Meninges

The layers that cover and protect your brain and spinal cord.