Infection

Occurs when pathogens enter and multiply in body tissues

Infectious disease

Caused by microorganisms or their products

Normal flora

Resident, indigenous, normal microflora

Endogenous infectious agents

Arise from microbes that are the patient's own normal flora

The human body typically begins to be colonized by its normal flora...

During, and immediately after birth

Resident flora are found...

On/in the skin, mouth, nasal passages, and large intestine

Resident flora of the skin

Staphlococcus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Mycobacterium

Resident flora of intestines

Bacteroides

Resident flora of mouth, large intestine, and from puberty to menopause, the vagina

Lactobacillus

Most common resident flora of mouth surfaces

Streptococcus

Resident flora that produces beneficial body products, including vitamin K and several other vitamins

Large intestine

Virulence factors

Capsules, exoenzymes, endotoxin, exotoxin

STORCH

Represents most common infections of the fetus and neonate

Examples of exoenzymes

Microbial hyaluronidase, coagulase, and streptokinase

Exotoxins

Are proteins

Enterotoxins

Are virulence factors, toxins that target the intestines, proteins, exotoxins

Fimbraie

Adherence to substrate

Capsules

Antiphagocytic factor

Leukocidins

Damage WBCs

Hemolysins

Damage RBCs

Period of invasion

Specific signs and symptoms are seen and the pathogen is at peak activity

The time from when pathogen first enters the body and begins to multiply, until symptoms first appear

Incubation period

Prodromal Stage

Initial, brief period of early, general symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches

Mixed infection

Several agents established at infection site

Acute infection

Rapid onset of severe, short-lived symptoms

Local infection

Pathogen remains at or near entry site

Toxemia

Pathogen's toxins carried by the blood to target tissues

Symptom

The subjective evidence of disease sensed by the patient

Sign

The objective, measurable evidence of disease evaluated by an observer

Inflammation

Local edema, swollen lymph nodes, fever, soreness, and abscesses

Immunology

The study of frequency and distribution of a disease in a defined population