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20 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the shape and gram stain and oxygen requirements of treponema pallidum?
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They are spirochetes, helically coiled "gram negative like" anaerobes
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Describe the morphology of the spirochetes
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They are long, very thin, spiral shaped bacteria with a periplasmic flagella
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How are spirochetes visulized?
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Dark field microscopy with silver impregnation is used
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Describe the habitat of treponema pallidum
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They are found in humans with disease; they are not able to be cultivated in vitro
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Describe the transmission of T. pallidum
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They are transmitted person-to-person via sexual contacts and transplacentally to the fetus
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Describe important epidemiological features of syphilis
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It occurs 6x more in men, has accelerated stages in HIV/AIDS, and occurs mostly in blacks and in the south
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Describe the invasion of T. pallidum in primary syphilis
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T. pallidum penetrates the mucous membranes and multiplies at the site of infection and regional lymph nodes
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What are the clinical manifestations of primary syphilis?
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Development of a hard chancre at the entry site within 2-10 weeks that is painless, with enlarged inguinal lymph nodes that are highly infectious; spontaneous healing within 3-6 weeks
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Describe the pathogenesis of secondary syphilis
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Dissemination of T. pallidum throughout the body and continued reproduction in nodes, liver, joints, muscles, skin and mucous membranes
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What are the clinical manifestations of secondary syphilis?
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Muco-cutaneous lesions with a rash on the palms and soles, hair loss, mouth lesions, and genital papules; flu-like symptoms develop with fever and sore throat
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What generally happens before the development of tertiary syphilis?
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A latency period that is asymptomatic but has positive serology
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What are the clinical manifestations of tertiary syphilis?
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Gummus develop (nodules that can be deep or superficial), CNS symptoms of mental deterioration (neurosyphilis), and aortic lesions
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Do the stages of syphilis always occur?
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Syphilis does not always progress from primary to secondary, or secondary to tertiary
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Describe the risk of congenital syphilis to a fetus of a pregnant woman with the vairous stages of syphilis
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A woman with primary syphilis will pass the infection to the fetus 100% of the time, 90% with secondary, and 30% with latent but no risk with tertiary
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What are the early symptoms of congenital syphilis?
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Fatal in 25-50% of cases with the others showing low birth weight, cutaneous lesions, multiply organ failure
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Describe Hutchinson's triad, and with what is it associated?
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Hutchinson's triad occurs late in a congenital infection with notches in the incisors, interstitial keratitis, and deafness; saddle nose also occurs as a late symptom
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What is the best way to diagnose syphilis?
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Serological tests for antibodies
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For what are the non-treponemal antigen tests used and what are they?
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They are used as a screening test for syphilis; VDRL and RPR use the cardiolipin suspension as the antigen
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WHat is the treponemal antibody test?
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Specific and sensitive fluorescent antibody test that uses T. pallidum as the antigen to determine syphilis infection
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What are other treponemal diseases besides syphilis?
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Bejel, Pinta, and Yaws
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