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Microbiology Final Exam Study Guide

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  • Structure and normal defenses of the digestive system
    Includes mouth, glands, teeth, Peyer’s patches, and microbiota. Defenses are physical and chemical: saliva, mucus, stomach acid, and normal microbiota.
  • Common oral cavity infections
    Dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, trench mouth, herpes simplex, thrush, and mumps.
  • Bacterial gastrointestinal infections examples
    Salmonella, Shigellosis, Typhoid fever, E. coli, Vibrio cholerae, Helicobacter pylori (peptic ulcers), and antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
  • Role of toxins in gastrointestinal infections
    Toxins cause diarrhea and dehydration by disrupting intestinal cells and fluid balance.
  • Clostridioides difficile infection
    Causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea by disrupting normal gut microbiota.
  • Viral gastrointestinal infections
    Rotavirus and hepatitis viruses A through E.
  • Parasitic gastrointestinal infections
    Protozoa: Cryptosporidium, Cyclosporiasis; Helminths: ascariasis, hookworms, pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, flukes.
  • Transmission routes of digestive system infections
    Foodborne, waterborne, and fecal-oral routes.
  • Prevention of foodborne diseases
    Sanitation, proper cooking, and good hygiene practices.
  • Key components of the circulatory and lymphatic systems
    Blood, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and spleen.
  • Definitions: bacteremia, septicemia, viremia, toxemia
    • Bacteremia: bacteria in blood
    • Septicemia: blood infection causing systemic illness
    • Viremia: viruses in blood
    • Toxemia: toxins in blood
  • Examples of bacterial blood infections
    Sepsis, Toxic Shock Syndrome, Streptococcal Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome, puerperal sepsis, infectious arthritis, osteomyelitis, rheumatic fever, endocarditis, pericarditis, gas gangrene.
  • Zoonotic vector-borne diseases
    Tularemia, brucellosis, cat scratch disease, rat bite fever, plague, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
  • Viral infections affecting blood and lymph
    Mononucleosis, Burkitt Lymphoma, Cytomegalovirus, Ebola, HIV, yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya.
  • Parasitic infections of circulatory and lymphatic systems
    Protozoa: malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas disease; Helminths: Schistosomiasis.
  • Transmission of vector-borne diseases
    Via arthropod vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas.
  • Structure and protective features of the nervous system
    Includes CNS, PNS, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid, neurons, and the blood-brain barrier.
  • How pathogens bypass the blood-brain barrier
    Through bloodstream, nerves, or trauma.
  • Major bacterial nervous system infections
    Meningococcal meningitis, pneumococcal meningitis, tetanus, listeriosis, Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy).
  • Toxin-mediated nervous system diseases
    Tetanus and botulism caused by neurotoxins affecting muscle control.
  • Viral nervous system infections
    Arboviruses (e.g., Western Equine Encephalitis), Zika, Rabies, Poliomyelitis.
  • Prion diseases of the nervous system
    Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies.
  • Fungal nervous system infection example
    Cryptococcal meningitis.
  • Parasitic nervous system infections
    Amoebic meningitis, Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis, Human African Trypanosomiasis, Neurotoxoplasmosis, Neurocysticercosis.
  • Prevention of nervous system infections
    Vaccination (meningitis, polio, rabies), sanitation, and vector control.