• Faculty : Dental medicine and surgery

• Year : 1st year

• Batch :15
• Course: Principles of disease –I (DE-DIS-
212)
• Instructor : Mawada Mohammed Yahia
• Phone No: 0908205000
 Bacterial Pathogenicity

Mawada M.Yahia
• pathogen (a microbe capable of causing disease)

• pathology (the study of the structural and functional manifestations of

disease)

• pathologist (a physician who has specialized in pathology)

• pathogenicity (the ability to cause disease)

• pathogenesis (the steps or mechanisms involved in the development of a

disease).
• An infectious disease is a disease caused by a microbe, and
the microbes that cause infectious diseases are collectively
referred to as pathogens.
WHY INFECTION DOES NOT ALWAYS OCCUR??

1. The microbe may land at an anatomic site where it is

unable to multiply.

2. Presence of antibacterial factors.

3. The indigenous microflora.

4. The individual’s nutritional and overall health status.

5. Immunity to that particular pathogen.

6. Phagocytosis.
 Four periods (phases) an infectious disease:

(a) Incubation period:

the time that elapses between arrival of the pathogen and
the onset of symptoms

(b) Prodromal period:

is the time during which the patient feels “out of sorts”
but is not yet experiencing actual symptoms of the disease.
(c) Period of illness: is the time during which the patient
experiences the typical symptoms associated with that
particular disease (e.g., sore throat, headache, sinus
congestion). Communicable diseases are most easily
transmitted during this third period.
(d) Convalescent period: is the time during which the patient
recovers.
LOCALIZED VERSUS SYSTEMIC
INFECTIONS??
 Diseases Classification
• Diseases are classified according to their onset to:

• acute.

• subacute.

• chronic.
• Acute disease: has a rapid onset, usually followed by a
relatively rapid recovery.

• Chronic disease: has an insidious (slow) onset and lasts a long

time.

• Subacute diseases: diseases come on more suddenly than a

chronic disease, but less suddenly than an acute disease.
SYMPTOMS OF A DISEASE VERSUS
SIGNS OF A DISEASE??
• Symptom of a disease: some evidence of a disease that is
experienced or perceived by the patient; something that is
subjective. Examples: pain, a ringing in the ears (tinnitus),
blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, itching, and chills.

• Signs of a disease: are objective findings, such as laboratory

test results, which are not perceived by the patient.
• Symptomatic disease (or clinical disease) is a disease in which
the patient is experiencing symptoms.

• Asymptomatic disease (or subclinical disease) is a disease

that the patient is unaware of because he or she is not
experiencing any symptoms.
Primary versus secondary infections
• A primary infection caused by one
pathogen can be followed by a secondary
infection caused by a different pathogen.
STEPS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
VIRULENCE
• Virulent strains of a microbe are capable of causing disease,

whereas a virulent strains are not.

• Some strains of a given pathogen can be more virulent than

other strains.
 VIRULENCE FACTORS

• Virulence factors are Phenotypic characteristics that enable

microbes to be virulent (to cause disease).
1. Attachment
a. Receptors and Adhesins

• Receptors or integrins: Molecules on a host cell’s surface

that pathogens are able to recognize and attach.

• adhesins or ligands: Molecules on a pathogen’s surface

that recognize and attach to receptors on a host cell’s surface.

b. Bacterial Pili:

Are virulence factors, in that they enable fimbriated (piliated)

bacteria to adhere to cells and tissues within the human body.
2. Capsules

• Bacterial capsules serve as antiphagocytic function (i.e., they

protect encapsulated bacteria from being phagocytized).
3. Flagella

• Flagella are considered to be virulence factors because they

enable flagellated bacteria to invade areas of the body that
nonflagellated bacteria cannot reach.
4. Exoenzymes

• The most important virulence factors are certain exoenzymes

and toxins that pathogens produce.
Necrotizing enzymes

• are exoenzymes that cause destruction of

cells and tissues, e.g. proteases and
lipases.
5. Toxins
The two major categories of toxins are

• Endotoxins.

• Exotoxins.
• Endotoxin is a component of the cell walls
of Gram-negative bacteria.

• Exotoxins are poisonous proteins that are

secreted by a variety of pathogens.
 Example for exotoxin:
• Neurotoxins are adversely affect the CNS.

• Enterotoxins are adversely affect the GIT.

• Erythrogenic toxin, causes scarlet fever.

• Leukocidins are toxins that destroy WBCs (leukocytes).

• Diphtheria toxin is produced by C. diphtheriae.