Textbook Question
Although an effective vaccine is available to eradicate pertussis in the United States, why has the number of reported cases increased since the 1970s?
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Ch. 20 - Pathogenic Gram-Negative Cocci and Bacilli
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - A Brief History of Microbiology31
- Ch. 2 - The Chemistry of Microbiology28
- Ch. 3 - Cell Structure and Function39
- Ch. 4 - Microscopy, Staining, and Classification25
- Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism51
- Ch. 6 - Microbial Nutrition and Growth37
- Ch. 7 - Microbial Genetics51
- Ch. 8 - Recombinant DNA Technology21
- Ch. 9 - Controlling Microbial Growth in the Environment36
- Ch. 10 - Controlling Microbial Growth in the Body: Antimicrobial Drugs21
- Ch. 11 - Characterizing and Classifying Prokaryotes29
- Ch. 12 - Characterizing and Classifying Eukaryotes34
- Ch. 13 - Characterizing and Classifying Viruses, Viroids, and Prions23
- Ch. 14 - Infection, Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology35
- Ch. 15 - Innate Immunity34
- Ch. 16 - Adaptive Immunity21
- Ch. 17 - Immunization and Immune Testing29
- Ch. 18 - Immune Disorders22
- Ch. 19 - Pathogenic Gram-Positive Bacteria25
- Ch. 20 - Pathogenic Gram-Negative Cocci and Bacilli28
- Ch. 21 - Rickettsias, Chlamydias, Spirochetes, and Vibrios25
- Ch. 22 - Pathogenic Fungi47
- Ch. 23 - Parasitic Protozoa, Helminths, and Arthropod Vectors44
- Ch. 24 - Pathogenic DNA Viruses23
- Ch. 25 - Pathogenic RNA Viruses30
- Ch. 26 - Applied and Industrial Microbiology29
- Ch. 27 - Microbial Ecology and Microbiomes22
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 20, Problem 10
What attribute of Coxiella burnetii enables it to survive desiccation and heat for an extended time?
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that Coxiella burnetii is a bacterium known for its ability to survive harsh environmental conditions, including desiccation and heat.
Recognize that this survival ability is linked to a specific structural form or adaptation that protects the bacterium from damage.
Identify that Coxiella burnetii produces a spore-like form called a small cell variant (SCV), which is highly resistant to environmental stresses.
Note that the SCV has a dense cell wall and reduced metabolic activity, which contribute to its resistance to desiccation and heat.
Conclude that the attribute enabling Coxiella burnetii to survive these conditions is its formation of the small cell variant, a spore-like, environmentally resistant form.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Spore Formation and Resistance
Coxiella burnetii produces a spore-like form called the small cell variant (SCV), which is highly resistant to environmental stresses such as desiccation and heat. This form allows the bacterium to survive harsh conditions outside a host for extended periods.
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Formation & Breakdown of Polysaccharides
Cell Envelope Structure
The unique cell envelope of Coxiella burnetii, including a thick, protective outer membrane, contributes to its durability. This structure helps prevent damage from physical and chemical stresses, enhancing its ability to withstand heat and drying.
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Intracellular Lifestyle and Adaptation
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular pathogen adapted to survive within acidic phagolysosomes of host cells. Its adaptations to harsh intracellular environments also confer resilience to external environmental stresses like heat and desiccation.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Which of the following diseases is typically mild?
a. Brazilian purpuric fever
b. Bartonellosis
c. Pediatric meningitis
d. Cat scratch disease
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Textbook Question
What virulence factors allow Gram-negative anaerobes to cause disease?
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Textbook Question
What two illnesses can be caused by Legionella pneumophila?
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Textbook Question
Which bacterium causes infections in many burn victims?
a. Moraxella catarrhalis
b. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
c. Escherichia coli
d. Bartonella bacilliformis
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Textbook Question
Which of the following statements is true of Q fever?
a. For many years its cause was questionable.
b. It was first described in 1976 during an outbreak in Quincy, Massachusetts.
c. Researchers found it could be effectively treated with quinine.
d. The sharp spikes of fever on patients' temperature charts resemble porcupine quills.
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