HOST PARASITE

RELATIONSHIP
Introduction of a flora
 Range of relationships
 Saprophytes – Free living microbes
subsisting on dead or decaying organic
matter.
 Parasites – Microbes establishing and
multiplying themselves in hosts.
– Commensals – Microbes living in complete
harmony with host without causing any harm to
them.
– Pathogens - Microbes capable of causing
disease in host.
 Definitions
 Microbial pathogenesis—process of causing
disease
 Colonization—presence of microbes at site
of body
– Does not imply tissue damage or disease
symptoms
– Does imply invasion of site and multiplication
 Characteristics of Parasitism
 Encounter: agent meets host
 Entry: agent enters host
 Spread: agent spreads
 Multiplication: agent multiplies
 Damage: agent, host response, or both
 Outcome: agent or host wins, or coexist
 Encounter
 In utero
– Do not normally come in contact with
organisms
» Protection of fetal membranes
» Do not normally come in contact with organisms
from mother
 Normally only present sporadically
 Exceptions: sexual diseases, virus causes, rubella
 Encounter
 At moment of birth
– Comes in contact with organisms present in
vaginal canal and on skin
» Previously, antibodies passed from mother to fetus
» Defenses are good for a period of time, then they
wane
 Encounter
 Challenge between man and microbe wages
many times during lifetime
– Most disappear rapidly
– Some become part of normal flora
– Only a few cause disease
 Penetration into Deeper Tissues
 Very few organisms can penetrate unbroken
skin (worms are an exception)
 Some organisms can penetrate epithelial
tissue; for example:
– S. pneumoniae, Treponema pallidum
» Normally after some injury to tissue (many times
caused by a virus)
– Viruses, by receptors
 Carried in by Macrophage

 Alveolar macrophage trap organisms in lung

– Normally carry upward on ciliary epithelium
– Some cases, can carry deeper into tissues
 Some organisms can live, grow in macrophage:
– Legionella
– Bordetella pertussis
– HIV (via virus-laden macrophage from semen)
 Terms used
 Primary Infection  Exogenous Infection
 Reinfection  Inapparent Infection
 Secondary Infection (Subclinical Infection)
 Focal Infection  Clinical Infection
(Focal Sepsis)
 Typical Infection
 Generalized Infection
 Atypical Infection
 Cross Infection
 Iatrogenic Infection  Latent Infection
 Endogenous Infection  Compromised host
 SOURCES OF INFECTION
 Human Beings  Animals
– Patients – Zoonosis
– Carriers – Reservoir
» Healthy  Insects
» Convalescent
– Mechanical
» Temporary
» Chronic
– Biological
» Contact  Soil & Water
» Paradoxical  Food
 Other terms commonly used
 Endemic  Bacteremia
 Epidemic – Common occurrence while
brushing, chewing etc
 Pandemic
 Septicemia
 Prosodemic
– Circulation, multiplication,
formation of toxins with
high swinging fever
 Pyemia –
– Septicemia by pyogenic
organisms. Produces
multiple abscesses in
internal organs.
 METHODS OF TRANSMISSION
OF INFECTION
 Contact
 Congenital
 Inhalation
 Ingestion
 Inoculation
 Insects
 Iatrogenic
 Lab Acquired
Factors predisposing to Microbial
Pathogenicity
– Toxigenicity
 Terms used
» Exotoxins
– Pathogenicity (Refers » Endotoxins
to a species)
– Plasmids
– Virulence (Refers to an
– Enzyme production-
isolate)
IgA proteases
– Exaltation
– Bacteriophages
– Attenuation
– Communicability
 Factors – Bacterial appandages
– Adhesion – Infecting dose
» Adhesins » MID ID50
» Pili » MLD LD50
– Invasiveness – Route of Infection
1. Portal of entry
– Respiratory Tract - most common portal
– Gastrointestinal - via food, water contaminated
fingers
– Fungi live on skin
– Parenteral Route via bites, injections, wounds
– Multiple portals of entry
» Tuberculosis - respiratory droplets, food & milk,
wounds
2. Dose
– High virulence fewer organisms needed
– Lower virulence many organisms needed
– LD 50 & ID50
3. Tissue penetration
– Genetic basis E. coli O157:H7 uses unique
sites
– Invasiveness causes structural damage
– Cell penetration some pathogens live inside the
cells
4. Adherence
– Adhesins (ligands) adhere to receptors
» Ligands associated with fimbria
» Mannose is the most common receptor
– Pili attachment - N. gonorrhoeae attach to
cervix and urethra
– M Proteins - S. pyogenes adhere to throat
epithelial cells
6. Enzymes
– Coagulase Staphylococci Forms fibrin clot
– Streptokinase Streptococci Dissolves fibrin clot
– Hyaluronidase Pneumococci Digests Hyaluronic
Staphylococci Acid
Streptococci
– Leukocidin Staphylococci Disintegrates
phagocytes
– Hemolysin Staphylococci Dissolves red
blood cells
7. Capsules
– Reduce phagocytosis
– Slow drug penetration
8. Plasmid – Extra chromosomal genetic material
- Antibiotic resistance
9. Lysogenic Bacteriophage –
- Imparts additional genetic character eg Diphtheria
bacilli acquire ability to produce exotoxin.
 Exo Vs Endotoxins
 Protein
 Heat Labile
 Secreted by cells. Diffuse out
 Separable by filtration
 Enzymatic action
 Specific effect
 Specific tissue affinity
 Active in small qty
 Highly antigenic
 Action neutralized by specific
antibody
 Can be toxoided
 Mainly produced by Gram +
bacteria. Few Gram – ve bact
 Protein-Polysaccharide-Lipid
Complex
 Heat Stable
 Part of cell wall. No diffusion
 Obtained only by cell lysis
 No Enzymatic action
 Effect non-specific
 Non-specific
 Active in large doses
 Weakly antigenic
 Antibody does not neutralize
 Can not be toxoided
 Produced only by Gram
negative bacteria
 Biological activities of the
Endotoxins
 Pyrogenicity   Glucose / Glycogen
 Lethal action synthesis in Liver
  Blood Pressure  Stimulation of B cells
 Activation of  Macrophage inhibition
complement  Interferon release
 Intravascular  Induction of
coagulation prostaglandin
 Leucopoenia / synthesis
Leukocytosis