ENCOUNTER, ENTRY AND ATTACHMENT OF MICROORGANISMS (INCLUDING THE NORMAL FLORA)

A. ENCOUNTER WITH MICROORGANISMS

1. Transmission by the vertical route

a. by contact

b. via the sperm, egg, or across the placenta

2. Transmission by the horizontal route

a. From a vehicle

b. From human to human

c. From a vector

i. Zoonoses

ii. Arthropods

B. PORTALS OF ENTRY OF MICROORGANISMS

C. THE NORMAL FLORA

1. Two groups of normal flora:

a. Permanent

b. Transient

2. Distinction between the normal flora and the “carrier state”

a. Carrier

i. acute

ii. convalescent

3. What microbes make up the normal flora?

4. What parts of the body are colonized by the normal flora? (see text p. 12)

5. What is the role of the normal flora?

a. occupy the epithelial surfaces

b. nutritional function

c. development of the immune system

d. opportunistic infections – the down side of the normal flora

D. ANATOMY AND DEFENSES OF THE SKIN AND MUCOSAL SURFACES OF THE BODY

1. THE SKIN

a. Anatomy

b. Defenses of the Skin

i. Physical and Chemical Barriers

ii. Beneath the skin – THE SALT

2. THE MUCOUS MEMBRANES

a. Anatomy

b. General and specific defenses of the mucous membranes

i. mucus

ii. beneath the mucous membranes - the Mucosal Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT)

c. Special defenses of specific mucous membranes in the body, and ways these defenses can be compromised.

i. Respiratory Tract

ii. Gastrointestinal Tract

iii. Genitourinary Tract

iv. Conjunctiva