Infectious diseases that target red blood cells
High-yield summary Plasmodium (protozoa that causes malaria) Transmitted by female Anopheles mosquito. Lifecycle includes liver (exoerythrocytic) and blood (erythrocytic) stages. Vivax and P. ovale form dormant hypnozoites in liver—cause relapses. Falciparum infects all RBC stages—highest parasitemia and severity. Symptoms (fever, chills) correlate with RBC rupture during schizont release. Diagnosis of malaria Thick smear: Screening […]
Parasitology 1: Introduction and gastrointestinal protozoa
Learning goals Describe and give examples of a definitive host, an intermediate host, a dead-end host, and an incidental host Classify parasites into five primary types and then organize them into secondary groupings based on morphology, motility, and major organ systems they affect Describe four modes of transmission for parasites to enter a human host […]
Acute infectious diarrhea
Learning goals Compare and contrast the microbiologic etiologies of common infectious causes of watery diarrhea, inflammatory diarrhea, and toxin-mediated diarrhea Compare and contrast the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and microbiology of Vibrio cholerae, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and non-typhoidal salmonella Describe the bacteriology, pathophysiology, complications and management of pseudomembranous colitis (Clostridioides difficile) Required pre-class materials E.Flo […]
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
source: Novan’s notes, by George Novan, MD, and Joanna Breems, MD Last update: September 2023 The terms STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are nterchangeable. However, more authors now favor using STI because not all “infections” are manifest as “disease”—that is, they are not clinically evident or symptomatic. A note on terminology. […]
Micro-ID topics
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Urethritis, cervicitis, vaginitis, and PID
Learning goals Compare the epidemiology, microbiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, and potential complications for Chlamydia trachomatis serovars D-K and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Compare the epidemiology, microbiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, and potential complications for yeast vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis Describe the approach to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in patients presenting with urethritis, cervicitis, vaginitis, and pelvic inflammatory […]
Sexually transmitted Infections (STIs): Genital ulcers and warts
Learning goals For the organisms of interest causing genital ulcer disease and genital warts: Compare the microbiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentations, and potential complications for genital herpes (HSV), Treponema pallidum, Haemophilus ducreyi, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1-L3, Klebsiella granulomatis, and Human Papilloma virus (HPV) Describe the approach to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in patients presenting with […]
Microbiome, normal flora, and antimicrobial stewardship
High-yield summary Microbiome basics Microbiome = all microbes + their genomes + the environment they occupy. Humans have ~38 trillion microbial cells (more than human cells). Major phyla: Firmicutes (Gram+ anaerobes) Bacteroidetes (Gram– anaerobes) Proteobacteria (Gram– facultative rods) Actinobacteria (Gram+ bacilli) Normal flora by site Carrier state: colonization with potential pathogen (e.g., S. aureus). […]
Key zoonoses
Naturally transmitted from animals to humans. Arthropod-borne bacteria and parasites Fleas Endemic typhus/murine typhus/Rickettsia typhi, epidemic typhus/Rickettsia prowazekii, Tunga penetrans Flies Sand Fly/Phlebotomus-cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, Tsetse Fly-African Sleeping Sickness/ T. brucei), Black Fly/Simulium-Onchocerciasis, Mango Fly/Chrysops-Loa Loa, Bot flies-Myiasis Mites/Chiggers Scrub typhus/Orientia tsutsugamushi, Scabies, Hair follicle mite/Demodex Mosquitos Malaria/Plasmodium, lymphatic filariasis/e.g. Wuchereria (many ARBO viruses […]
Notable bacterial toxins and mechanisms
These are exemplars of the most notable toxins and their mechanisms. Organisms such as Clostridia perfringens, Staphyloccoccus aureus, and Pseudomonas have a variety of toxins, some of which use similar mechanisms. Anthrax A/B toxin with three-protein components. Cell binding component is called protective antigen. There are two enzyme components: Edema factor Acts as adenylate cyclase […]