Textbook Question
Historical journals have described gummas on patients. What disease most likely caused these lesions?
a. Ornithosis
b. Syphilis
c. Trachoma
d. Pneumonia
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Ch. 21 - Rickettsias, Chlamydias, Spirochetes, and Vibrios
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 21, Problem 10
During which stage of syphilis is penicillin ineffective?
a. Primary syphilis
b. Secondary syphilis
c. Tertiary syphilis
d. All of the above
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the stages of syphilis: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Each stage represents a progression of the infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
Recall that penicillin is highly effective in treating syphilis during the early stages (primary and secondary) because the bacteria are actively multiplying and accessible to the antibiotic.
Recognize that tertiary syphilis occurs years after the initial infection and involves more complex tissue damage, including gummas and neurological complications, where the bacteria may be less accessible or dormant.
Consider that penicillin is generally less effective or ineffective in reversing the damage caused during tertiary syphilis, although it can still prevent further progression.
Conclude that penicillin is ineffective during the tertiary stage of syphilis, making option (c) the correct choice.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Stages of Syphilis
Syphilis progresses through primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages, each with distinct clinical features. The primary stage involves a chancre at the infection site, secondary includes systemic symptoms, and tertiary can cause severe organ damage. Understanding these stages is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
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Effectiveness of Penicillin in Syphilis Treatment
Penicillin is highly effective in treating early stages of syphilis (primary and secondary) by killing the Treponema pallidum bacteria. However, in tertiary syphilis, where tissue damage is due to immune response rather than active infection, penicillin is less effective in reversing damage but can still halt progression.
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Pathophysiology of Tertiary Syphilis
Tertiary syphilis results from a chronic inflammatory response causing gummas, cardiovascular, and neurological damage. At this stage, the bacteria are less active or absent, so antibiotic treatment cannot repair existing damage, highlighting the importance of early detection and treatment.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Which of the following is not true of cholera?
a. The causative agent lives naturally in marine water.
b. There is an effective vaccine for cholera.
c. Strain 01 El Tor has been responsible for several pandemics.
d. Rice-water stool is a symptom.
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Textbook Question
Treatment of chlamydial infections involves ____________.
a. Erythromycin cream
b. Doxycycline creams
c. Surgical correction of eyelid deformities
d. All of the above
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Textbook Question
Which of the following organisms is transmitted via sexual contact?
a. Treponema pallidum endemicum
b. Treponema pallidum pertenue
c. Treponema pallidum pallidum
d. Treponema carateum
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Textbook Question
The most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States is __________.
a. Vibrio parahaemolyticus
b. Campylobacter jejuni
c. Helicobacter pylori
d. Vibrio cholerae
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Textbook Question
Two weeks after a backpacking trip in Tennessee, a hiker experienced flulike symptoms and noticed a red rash on his thigh. What is the likely cause of his illness?
a. Treponema pallidum pertenue
b. Borrelia burgdorferi
c. Borrelia recurrentis
d. Leptospira interrogans
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