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Learn about the gastrointestinal tract's components, microbial defenses, normal biota, and microbial diseases, including dental caries, periodontitis, mumps, and gastritis, in this informative lecture.
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The Gastrointestinal Tract and Its Defenses • GI tract is composed of eight main sections and augmented by four accessory organs • Eight sections: mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus • Accessory organs: salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas • Also known as the digestive tract or alimentary canal • The GI tract is an internal tube (lumen) that passes through the body; only chemicals absorbed through the GI tract actually gain entrance to the internal portions of the body
Defenses Gastrointestinal Tract • Mucus • SecretoryIgA • Peristalsis • Fluids with antimicrobial properties: saliva, stomach fluid, bile • GALT tissues: tonsils, adenoids, lymphoid tissue in the esophagus, Peyer’s patches, appendix • Microbial antagonism
Normal Biota of the Gastrointestinal Tract • Large variety of normal biota • Oral cavity alone: more than 550 known species of microorganisms • Esophagus and stomach much more sparsely populated • Large intestine: billions of microorganisms
Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases Caused by Microorganisms • Tooth and Gum Infections • If left undisturbed, normal biota biofilm eventually contains anaerobic bacteria that can damage the soft tissues and bones (periodontium) surrounding the teeth • Introduction of carbohydrates to the oral cavity can result in breakdown of dentition
Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) • Most common infectious disease of human beings • Symptoms: often not noticeable, but range from minor disruption in the enamel to complete destruction of the enamel and deeper layers • Deeper lesions can result in infection to soft tissue inside the tooth leading to a toothache
Periodontal Disease • 97% to 100% of the population has some manifestation of it by age 45 • Most are due to bacterial colonization and varying degrees of inflammation
Periodontitis • Initial stage: gingivitis (swelling, loss of normal contour, patches of redness, and increased bleeding of the gingival) • If persists, periodontitis develops • Extension of gingivitis into the periodontal membrane and cementum • Increases the size of pockets between the tooth and the gingival and can cause bone resorption enough to loosen and possible lose the tooth
Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis and Periodontitis • Syntergistic infections infolving Treponema vincentii, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium species • Together they produce several invasive factors that cause rapid advancement into the periodontal tissues • Severe pain, bleeding, pseudomembrane formation, and necrosis
Mumps • Incubation period 2o to 3 weeks • Initial symptoms: fever, nasal discharge, muscle pain, and malaise • May be followed by inflammation of the salivary glands, producing gopherlike swelling of the cheekcs (parotitis) • Multiplication in the salivary glands followed by invasion of other organs, especially testes, ovaries, thyroid gland, pancreas, meninges, heart, and kidneys
Gastritis and Gastric Ulcers • Heliobacter pylori thrives in the acidic environment of the stomach and has been linked to a variety of gastrointestinal ailments • Gastritis: sharp or burning pain emanating from the abdomen • Gastric ulcers are actual lesions in the mucosa of the stomach • Duodenal ulcer: lesion in the uppermost portion of the small intestine • Severe ulcers can be accompanied by bloody stools, vomiting, or both • Long-term infection with H. pylori might be a contributing factor to stomach cancer
Acute Diarrhea • In the U.S., up to a third of all cases transmitted by contaminated food • Most cases are self-limiting and do not require treatment • Some (E. coli O157:H7) can be devastating
Acute Diarrhea Caused by Salmonella • Salmonellosis: can be severe (elevated body temperature and septicemia) or mild (vomiting, diarrhea, and mucosal irritation); symptoms usually spontaneously subide after 2 to 5 days • Typhoid fever: fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain; the bacterium infiltrates the mesenteric lymph nodes and the phagocytes of the liver and spleen; progressive and invasive that leads eventually to septicemia
Acute Diarrhea Caused by Shigella • Causes the most severe form of dysentery • Uncommon in the U.S. • Frequent, watery stools, fever, and intense abdominal pain • Nausea and vomiting are common • Often bloody stools