GENERAL PATHOLOGY
OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
LUMINITA MARINESCU,
MD
INFECTIOUS AGENTS
VIRUSES
BACTERIA
RICKETTSIAE
FUNGI
PARASITES
BACTERIOPHAGES AND PLASMIDS
CHLAMYDIA
MYCOPLASMA
BACTERIA
Unicellular, prokaryotic
cells (no nc/endoplasmic
reticulum)
Gram positive or negative
Identified in micro lab by
cultures and chemical
properties
Bacteriophages and
plasmids are genetic
elements that infect
bacteria, encoding for
virulence and enzymes
that confer drug resistance
Chapter 6 Chapter 6
Pathogenic Pathogenic
Microorganisms Microorganisms
Pathogenic Bacteria and Principle
Bacteria Classification
Diseases
• Gram stain • Gram-negative cocci
– Gram – positive – Meningococci – meningitis
– Gram – negative – Gonococci – gonorrhea
• Biochemical and cultural characteristics • Gram-positive bacilli
– Aerobic – diphtheria bacillus
• Antigen structure – Anaerobic – clostridia
Chapter 6 Chapter 6
Pathogenic Pathogenic
Microorganisms Microorganisms
Pathogenic Bacteria and Principle Pathogenic Bacteria and Principle
Diseases Diseases
• Staphylococci • Gram-negative bacteria
– Boils, skin infections, toxic shock syndrome, – Systemic infections, intestinal infections
pulmonary infections
• Streptococci • Spiral organisms
– Strep throat, scarlet fever – Syphilis, Lyme disease
• Pneumococci • Acid-fast organisms
– Bacterial pneumonia – Tubercle bacillus, leprosy bacillus
BACTERIA INDUCED INJURY
-adhere to cells and deliver toxins
-bacterial endotoxins cause septic
shock, DIC, ARDS. Secreted by
Gram-negative
-bacterial exotoxins are potentially
harmful. Act in different ways;
ex:diphteria toxin
Spread of infection
- Local
- Lymphatic
- Hematogenous
- Tissue fluids
- Neural spread
Types of inflammation
Acute : can lead to the formation of
pus
Chronic : granulomatous, like
TB,lepra, cat-scratch disease,
Yersinia enterocolitica, syphilis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Acid fast bacillus
Seen on Ziehl-
Nielsen stain
TB, treated with
tuberculostatic
antibiotics
Produces
granulomatous
inflammation
ACTINOMYCES ISRAELII
Causes
granulomatous
inflammation, like
chronic abscess of
the neck, appendix
Yellow granules in
the discharge
TREPONEMA PALLIDUM
Causes syphilis
Transmitted
through sexual
contact
Pattern-primary
-secondary
-tertiary
Congenital syphilis
CHLAMYDIA
Intracellular agents
GU tract, causing
sterility in women
Conjunctivitis-
blindness
MYCOPLASMA
Spread from
person to person
Bind to airway
epithelial cells and
causes atypical
pneumonia
Can cause
autoimmune
hemolytic anemia
RICKETTSIA
Intracellular cocco-bacilli, transmitted by
tick bites in general
Rocky Mountains spotted fever - R.
rickettsii. Transmitted by ticks.
Symptoms: hemorrhagic rash,
encephalitis.
Typhus - R. prowazekii. From louse
Q fever - R. burnetti. By inhalation or
ingestion
VIRUSES
Intracellular agents
Contain either
DNA/RNA but not
both
Inclusion bodies may
help in identification:
HSV, CMV, rabies v
Most common agents
of human illness
VIRUS INDUCED-INJURY
-bind to surface proteins on cells
-penetrate the cell
-uncoats and replicates
-kill host cell by inhibiting DNA/RNA
or protein synthesis, by damaging
the membrane’s integrity, by lysing
the cell, by damaging the cells
involved in defense
FUNGI
Thick cell wall
organisms
Can be dermatophytes
or can invade deep
organs
Ex: Histoplasma (Ohio
River Valley)
Coccidiodes (west)
Blastomyces
(tropical areas)
Coccidioides and Blastomyces
Aspergillus fumigatus
Chapter 7
Animal P arasites
Animal Parasites
• Protozoa
– One cell organisms
• Metazoa
– Multicellular structures
• Arthropods
– Small insects
PROTOZOAN
Motile, single-
celled eukaryotes
Ex: Trichomonas
vaginalis, causes
vulvovaginitis,
sexually
transmitted
disease
Protozoan infection
CNS-Acanthamoeba, Toxoplasma, malaria
Lymphoid tissue- Toxoplasma, Leishmania
Heart- Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas’ disease)
Liver- Entamoeba, Plasmodium, Leishmania
Blood- Trypanosoma, Plasmodium
Gut- Entamoeba, Giardia, Cryptosporidium,
Isospora
Genital- Trichomonas
Skin- Leishmania (cutaneous leishmaniasis)
Lung- Pneumocystis carinii
Chapter 7
Animal P arasites
Metazoal Infestations
• Roundworm
– Ascaris
– Pinworms
– Trichinella
• Tape worms
• Flukes
HELMINTHS
Multicellular worms Categories:-
that have strict trematodes
specificities for the (flukes)
definitive host, in Nematodes
which sexual (roundworms)
reproduction takes Cestodes
place or for the (tapeworms)
intermediate host
or vector, in which
reproduction is
asexual
TREMATODES
SCHISTOSOMA
-North Africa
-fresh water
-chronic
inflammation of the
bladder/squamous
carcinoma
CESTODES
TAENIA SOLIUM
-undercook infected
pork
-many sites but the
most important:brain
and spinal cord where
it produces cysts.
-severe symptoms
when the cyst dies
NEMATODES
ASCARIS
LUMBRICOIDES
-in children
-small intestine
-abdominal pain
and failure to
thrive if the
infestation is heavy
Chapter 7
Animal P arasites
Arthropods
• Scabies
• Crab louse
PRIONS
Normal host protein called prion
In many tissues; unknown function
Structural change makes it infective
Diseases: CREUTZFELD-JAKOB disease
KURU disease
SCRAPIE
BOVINE SPONGIFORM
ENCEPHALOPATHY
