Haemophilus

Bordetella

Leigonella

Genus
Species

Haemophilus influenza
Haemophilus ducrevi
Calymmatobacterium granulomatis

B.pertussis & B. parapertussis

Legionella pneumophila

Important
Properties

Gmall Gram ve Cocco bacilli

Encapsulated
Req heme( X) & NAD (V) factor for
respiration
Type B (polyribitol phosphate)
Carried in throat
Found only in humans
Infects only humans no
animal reservoir
Enters body through URT
asymptomatic colonization/
infections

Pertussis: small coccobacillary, encapsulated gram ve

rod
Small, silvery,dome-shaped colonies
found only in humans
highly contagious
primarily in infants + young children

Environmental bacteria
Grow in water e.g. air-con cooling units

Airborne droplets produce during severe coughing

episodes

1. Outbreaks when bact grow to high density

in cooling units and spread as aerosol in
air-con mist from cooling tower
2. Colonization of taps, shower heads etc can
give an infective aerosol
person to person dont occur
Portal of entry = respiratory tract
Pathological changes occur primarily in the
lung

Transmission

Pathogenesis

1. Produce IgA protease

2. Degrades secretory IgA
3.
4.
5.

Clinical

facilitate attachment to resp.

mucosa
Enter blood stream, spread to
meninges
Anti-phagocytic capsule +
endotoxin
Most infection occur in
children peak in 6 mth -1
yr: decline in maternal IgG +
inability to generate sufficient
AB against polysaccharide
capsule Ag till 2 yo

Impt cause of URT infection (

otitis media, sinusitis,
epiglottis) and sepsis in
children
Pneumonia in adults esp

1. attach to ciliated epi of URT but dont invade

underlying tissue mediated by filamentous
hemagglutinin on pili
AB against this inhibit attachment + protect against
disease
decrease cilia activity death of ciliated epi cells
2. pertussis toxin stimulate adenylate cyclase via
ADP ribosylation to the inhibitory subunit of
G protein complex
Rise in cAMP
Toxin has domain that mediate binding to Rc on
surface of resp epi cells
Cause lymphocytosis by inhibiting signal
transduction by chemokine Rc via ADP
ribosylation, lymphocytes fail to enter lymphoid
tissue, increase no in blood
3. Synthesize & export adenylate cyclase
inhibit bactericidal activity when taken up by
phagocytic cells
4. Tracheal cytotoxin = fragment of bacterial
peptidoglycan damage ciliated cells of resp
tract
Act in concert with endotoxin to induce NO whch
kills epithelial cells
Whooping cough
Primarily in young children
Adults: paroxysmal cough of varying severity for
wks whoops absent, difficult to diagnose
Acute tracheobronchitis

Major virulence factor:

Lipopolysaccharide endotoxin
No exotoxin produced
Typical candidate:
Old man who smokes & consume substantial
amt of alcohol
Pt with AIDS, CA, transplants (esp renal), on
corticosteroids
3. CMI impt defense mechanism

Range from mild flu like illness to severe

pneumonia, accompanied by mental
confusion, nonbloody diarrhea,