Microbial growth & Dissemination and survival within and outside the human host

Dr F Noordeen Department of Microbiology Faculty of Medicine Peradeniya April 2013

4/11/2013

Learning outcomes
1. Describe the dynamics of growth in different types of micro organisms 2. List the different ways in which micro organisms survive for long periods within and outside the human host

Division by binary fission

Electron Microscopic view

Binary fission Budding

Nutrition Need water, carbon, nitrogen and inorganic salts

Phototrophs - Derive energy from sunlight Chemotrophs - Obtain energy from chemicals Autotrophs - Able to utilize atmospheric carbon dioxide and nitrogen

Heterotrophs - Depends on preformed organic compounds

 Oxygen requirement
Aerobic Anaerobic Some need carbon dioxide

Temperature
Usually 25-40oC, Normal incubation 3537oC Some can live in extreme temperatures

Moisture Light

Static broth culture

Lag phase - Prepare for multiplication Log phase Multiplication Doubling time - Constant for a given strain. Eg; 13 min for V cholera, 24 h for M tuberculosis Stationary phase Multiplication stops due to depletion of nutrients and accumulation of toxic substances Decline phase - Population decreases due to cell death

Bacterial growth curve

Bacterial growth curve

Broth culture in which nutrients replaced (simulates site of infection)

Culture in artificial media

Most can be cultured in artificial media M leprae, T pallidum can not be cultured Culture media depends on the species Growth environment depends on the species After 20- 30 divisions, form visible colonies

Visible colonies
Staphylococcus aureus Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Culture in artificial media

Broth culture

Turbidity

Anaerobic cultures

Colony

subculture

Plating a specimen Sub culturing from a broth culture Streaking Pour plate

Laboratory process of isolating bacteria in pure culture

Factors Impacting Pathogens/ Microorganisms in the Environment

Temperature Freezing and thawing cycles Moisture Sunlight Location (in solution vs surface) Competition Predators pH

Survival outside host

Why do we need to know?
1. Transmission of infective agents Food Sewage / water sources Air Soil 2. Sterile items used in treatment 3. Health care facilities 4. Survival in environment

Prions and surgical instruments

Decontamination of surgical instruments from prions In vivo findings with a model system for testing the removal of scrapie infectivity from steel surfaces

Karin Lemmer, Martin Mielke, Christine Kratzel, Marion Joncic, Muhsin Oezel, Georg Pauli and Michael Beekes J Gen Virol 89 (2008), 348-358; DOI 10.1099/vir.0.83396-0

Survival of Bacteria by forming a spore

http://www.metapathogen.com/IMG/phagocytosis-diagram.png

Survival within host

Ability to avoid or overcome phagocytes
Are in areas inaccessible to phagocytes Inhibit phagocyte chemotaxis (streptococcal streptolysin) Avoid provoking inflammatory response Hide antigenic surface with self products Inhibit engulfment by phagocyte (Surface components
of bacteria important for this)

Survival within host

Survival within cells (intracellular bacteria)
Invade non phagocytic cells and survive within them Survive within phagocytic cells
Inhibit fusion of phagocytic lysosome Survive within phagolysosome Escape from phagosome

Kill or damage phagocytes

Killing phagocytes before ingestion
Organism secretes substances which destroy the phagocyte

Killing phagocytes after ingestion

Mechanisms not fully understood

Inhibit fusion of phagocytic lysosome

Escape from phagosome

Transmission of microbes
Means of transfer Route of transfer Portal of entry

Means of transfer
HANDS AIR DUST INSECTS FOOD WATER SOIL BITE Skin infections Pneumonia Tuberculosis Dengue Food poisoning Cholera Tetanus Rabies

Route of transfer
INHALATION INGESTION DIRECT CONTACT INOCULATION SEXUAL TRANSMISSION PLACENTAL TRANSFER Pneumonia Food poisoning Skin infections Rabies Syphilis

- Syphilis

Summary - Microbes
Grow and survive within and outside the host Can be cultured in the lab for identification Treatment Disseminate through various ways