Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
- Textbook: Chapter 18, 19, 20
- Weekly Concepts
Initial Post Instructions
Some microorganisms like Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Yesinia pestis, E. coli can cause diseases of different body systems. Let’s investigate how the same pathogen is responsible for different pathophysiological symptoms. First, choose a microorganism found in multiple systems. Then, describe your pathogen’s role in disease for one body system: report the disease caused, the normal function of that system, pathophysiological symptoms, and the virulence factor(s) that contribute(s) to the diseased state.
or
Viral skin diseases like smallpox were among the first diseases to be eradicated through vaccination program, but now we see more outbreaks of measles, mumps and polio diseases for which we have vaccinations. Why do you think some diseases are appearing again? What is your understanding about diseases like malaria and Ebola, and can we eradicate these through vaccination programs? What is the role of CDC in controlling the spread of these communicable diseases and their treatment?
Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond to at least one peer or the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification.
Student Sample:
Professor & Class,
Staphylococcus is an organism that is found in multiple systems that can cause different pathophysiological symptoms. According to Kobayashi et al (2015), “S. aureus causes a wide range of diseases and syndromes, including bacteremia, pneumonia, cellulitis, and osteomyelitis, most community-associated infections in the United States are those that affect skin and soft tissues”. Even though, skin and soft tissue organs are affected the most, today I would like to talk about how Staphylococcus affects the respiratory system to cause pneumonia as I had no idea it did such a thing!
Normal lung function is when we are able to breathe in fresh oxygen and take out carbon dioxide and this exchange happens in alveoli or air sacs within the lungs. When infected with pneumonia, it affects lung function by causing the alveoli or air sacs to fill up with fluid or pus and become inflamed. Therefore, causing pain, making it hard to breathe, and making it difficult to exchange the right gases. The initial response when your lungs inhale the bacteria is signaled by the mucosal cells within the respiratory tract. This response is made by the host by the following ways:
1. Through the adherence of intact bacteria to the host epithelial cells
2. By internalization of the bacteria
3. By direct interaction of bacterial adhesions and toxins with the mucosal epithelium
Lastly, the two main virulence factors of S. aureus are adhesions and exoproteins! According to Bien (2011), SpA, a-toxin, b-toxin, and PVL are the primary virulence factors that can induce tissue injury and inflammation in the lungs. This is interesting when comparing to the virulence factors within the skin and soft tissue infection of S. aureus that we learned in today lecture as those are different! They include: coagulase, other enzymes, and superantigens.
References:
Bien, J., Sokolova, O., & Bozko, P. (2011). Characterization of Virulence Factors of Staphylococcus aureus: Novel Function of Known Virulence Factors That Are Implicated in Activation of Airway Epithelial Proinflammatory Response. Journal of pathogens, 2011, 601905. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/601905
Kobayashi, S. D., Malachowa, N., & DeLeo, F. R. (2015). Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus abscesses. The American journal of pathology, 185(6), 1518–1527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.11.030 (Links to an external site.)
Gonzalez, C. (2021). Microbiology [Chapter 18,19,20 powerpoint slides]. Chamberlain University.
