CHLAMYDIA, MYCOPLASMA, AND RICKETTSIA

• Ureaplasma


  The newer name of the species under Mycoplasma
• Ureaplasma


  The same with Mycoplasma but that particular specie of Mycoplasma has a new name of its genus; Ureaplasma, but they are actually under the same family
• Mycoplasmatacae


  The family that Ureaplasma is part of
• Mycoplasma


  • Cell wall-deficient organisms
  • Do not contain cell wall/wall-less organisms
  • Most unique characteristic/property of Mycoplasmas
  • It also makes it completely resistant to beta-lactam drugs (cell-wall active drugs)
• Beta-lactam drugs

  Cell-wall active drugs
• Mycoplasma


  • Smallest organism capable of replication
  • Replication through binary fission, asexual reproduction type
  • Size range of Mycoplasma is between 0.2-0.8 μm (200-300 nm in diameter)
  • Filterable through membrane pore filter of any microbial pore filter which measures 450 nm in pore size
• Filterable


  Because of its minute size they can pass through the membrane pore filter of any microbial pore filter (450 nanometer)
• Mycoplasma


  • Highly pleomorphic
  • Exhibits variety of shapes, size; no particular absolute morphology
  • Morphology ranges from coccoid-shaped cells to filamentous branches
  • Unique morphology of tear drop shaped cells with differentiated tipped structure
• Mycoplasma


  • Requires sterols for membrane function and growth
  • Most Mycoplasmas are aerobic with fastidious growth requirements
• Fastidious


  They are very picky when it comes to the culture medium the laboratory needs for them to be isolated effectively
• Culture medium for Mycoplasma

  Requires sterols and its related cholesterol in order for Mycoplasma to grow
• PPO

  Pleuropneumonia Organism
• PPLO

  Pleuropneumonia-like organisms
• Eaton agent


  Specific causative agent of Primary Atypical pneumonia (PAT)
• Mycoplasma is part of the microbial flora of humans in oropharynx, Upper RT, and GUT

  
• Mycoplasma species

  • M. genitalium
  • M. pirum
  • M. penetrans
  • M. fermentans
  • M. pneumoniae
  • M. hominis
  • Ureaplasma urealyticum (Mycoplasma urealyticum)
• M. genitalium

  Genitourinary tract; can cause Nongonococcal urethritis (NGU)
• M. pirum, M. penetrans

  Genitourinary tract; once isolated from patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection
• M. pneumoniae

  Pathologic to man; seen in Upper respiratory tract and causing infection in that area
• M. hominis

  Pathologic to man; Genital Mycoplasma; seen in Genitourinary tract
• Ureaplasma urealyticum (Mycoplasma urealyticum)


  Pathologic to man; Genital Mycoplasma; seen in Genitourinary tract
• Culture medium for Mycoplasma

  Beef-heart infusion broth/agar supplemented with horse serum, yeast extract, and nucleic acid
• Horse serum, yeast extract and nucleic acids


  Source of cholesterol and related sterol that the organism needs for it to be isolated correctly
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae

  • Pathologic to man; found in the upper respiratory tract of infected patients
  • Causes pneumonia
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae


  • Pleomorphic, ranges from coccoidal-shaped cells to filamentous branches
  • Specific morphology: bulbous enlargement with a differentiated tip structure (tear drop shaped cells with tip structures/ terminal structure)
• Bulbous enlargement with a differentiated tip structure


  More correct term because of the word differentiated in its morphology
• The tear drop shaped cell is brought about by the enlargement in the middle portion of the body which we call the bulbous enlargement
• The differentiated tip structure or the terminal structure comes from the tail of the organism after the bulbous enlargement
• Differentiated tip structure

  There are actually contents in the tip structure which can differentiate the two types of Mycoplasma pneumoniae that is causing infection to any human being
• Two Types of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

  • Avirulent hemadsorption-negative mycoplasma
  • Virulent hemadsorption-positive mycoplasma
• Avirulent hemadsorption-negative mycoplasma

  • Not virulent, not causing infection at all
  • Can attach to the surface to the red blood cell but cannot penetrate the inside of the red blood cells

  
• Virulent hemadsorption-positive mycoplasma


  Can penetrate the red blood cells and cause hemolysis and destruction of red blood cells
• Protein P1


  The major adhesion protein of M. pneumoniae; Specifically the virulent type because its the type that can really cause infection or destruction of the RBC
• Avirulent hemadsorption-negative mycoplasma

  • Protein P1 and the Differentiated tip structure is sparsley distributed (scattered all over the surface) but in scanty amount
  • Attachment on the surface of the RBC is weak and loose
• Virulent hemadsorption-positive mycoplasma

  • The Protein P1 and the differentiated tip structure is greatly enriched; copious amount and scattered all over the surface
  • Attachment or adhesion is tight and solid, can start penetrating that red cell and cause destruction or hemolysis of the RBC

  
• Primary Atypical Pneumonia (PAP)


  • Causative agent is Mycoplasma pneumoniae
  • Primary: Occurs independently, not following another disease
  • Atypical: Different from the typical pneumonia
• PAP / Walking Pneumonia


  • Differ in their radiographic appearance and low mortality rate
  • Morbidity is high, mortality rate is low because the severity of the infection is not as high as the normal type of Lobar pneumonia
• In the normal chest x-ray appearance for lobar pneumoniae, there is an increase in radiopacities
• Primary Atypical Pneumonia


  • Differ in their radiographic appearance and low mortality rate
  • Chest X-ray findings show no increase in radiopacities
  • Morbidity is high, mortality rate is low
• Radiopacity


  Increased opacity on chest X-ray, appearing white/opaque