Corynebacterium diphtheriae

  1. Corynebacterium diphtheriae gram stain and shape
    Gram-positive rod
  2. Is Corynebacterium diphtheriae endospore forming?
    No
  3. Corynebacterium diphtheriae filamentous/nonfilamentous
    Nonfilamentous
  4. Corynebacterium diphtheriae acid fast/not acid fast
    Not acid fast
  5. Corynebacterium diphtheriae reservoir
    Human reservoir (NOT normal microbiota)
  6. Corynebacterium diphtheriae catalase reactivity
    Catalase positive
  7. How does a stain for Corynebacterium diphtheriae look?
    • Metachromatic granules
    • Chinese characters/palisades
  8. Corynebacterium diphtheriae grows on which media?
    • Blood agar
    • Loeffler medium
    • Tinsdale agar
  9. What is Corynebacterium diphtheriae major virulence factor?
    Diptheria toxin (an A-B exotoxin)
  10. Diphtheria toxin is encoded by _________________
    Lysogenic β-phage
  11. Diphtheria toxin effect
    Inhibits protein synthesis
  12. Diphtheria toxin is repressed under high ____________ concentrations
    Iron
  13. Explain the influence iron has on diphtheria toxin
    • High iron depresses the toxin
    • Low iron caused toxin to be produced
  14. Transmission of Corynebacterium diphtheriae is via _________________
    • Respiratory droplets
    • (skin contact for cutaneous)
  15. In some cases, respiratory diphtheria can lead to leather-like layer in the pharynx called __________________. This is made of…
    • Pseudomembrane
    • Bacteria, rbc, wbc, dead cells, fibrin
  16. What is the major cause for mortality in diphtheria patients?
    Cardiac dysfunction (myocarditis)
  17. What are the symptoms of respiratory diphtheria?
    • Sore throat
    • Low-grade fever
    • Some patients get bull neck (cervical lymphadenopathy)
  18. what do you use to get a definitive diagnosis of respiratory diphtheria?
    Culture membrane + positive toxin assay (PCR)
  19. What is the treatment for respiratory diphtheria?
    Antitoxin (immediately!) + antibiotics + airway support
  20. What are the ABCDEFG characteristics of Corynebacterium diphtheriae?
    • ADP ribosylation
    • Beta-prophage
    • Corynebacterium
    • Diphtheriae
    • Elongation Factor 2
    • Granules (metachromatic)
Author
stepha998
ID
345460
Card Set
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Description
ATSU
Updated