YERSINIA PESTIS
By : ADRIEL BRAGANZA
YERSINIA PESTIS
causative agent of the PLAGUE
It is Gram-negative, non-sporing, non-motile, short
coccobacillus.
It occurs singly, in pairs or, when in liquid culture, in chains
C U LT U R A L C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S
Y. pestis grows aerobically or anaerobically at 0–37°C (optimum
27°C), but the envelope develops best at 37°C.
Small, slightly viscid, translucent, non-haemolytic colonies
develop on blood agar within 24 hrs.
Colorless colonies are formed on Mac Conkey’s agar but they
tends to autolyse after 2–3 days
Yersinia pestis on
Blood agar
Bipolar staining
(safety pin appearance )
YERSINIA PESTIS
They proliferate and survive in phagocytic cells.
macrophages provide a niche
acquire the ability to evade phagocytosis
It is zoonotic (a disease passes between animals and humans )
Fleas are natural vectors (carriers)
VIRULENCE FACTORS
Possess lipopolysaccharides that have endotoxic activity when
released.
Produce antigens and toxins that act as virulence factors.
Type III secretion systems (T3SSs)
L I P O P O LY S A C C H A R I D E ( L P S )
LPS plays a significant role in the resistance of bacteria to
antibiotics, complement, and other defence systems of the host
organism
The heat-stable somatic antigen complex of Y. pestis comprises a
rough-type lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which has endotoxin activity
FRACTION 1 (F1) PROTEIN
Heat-labile antigen
Best formed at cultures incubated at 37°C.
Resist phagocytosis and is a protective immunogen.
TYPE III SECRETION SYSTEMS (T3SSS)
The Injectisome
Yop proteins (Yersina outer proteins)
helps to suppress the innate immune response and facilitate
infection
THE PLAGUE
Bubonic plague
Septicemic Plague
Pneumonic plague
BUBONIC PLAGUE
incubation period ranges from 2 to 10 days
ever, chill and weakness, lymph nodes become swollen, forming a bubo.
If untreated, bubonic plague may progress into septicemic form
case-fatality ratio of 30% to 60%
Bubos on skin
SEPTICEMIC PLAGUE
Incubation period 2 to 6 days
fever, chills, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting
In advanced stages, patients can exhibit necrosis (tissue death),
disseminated intravascular coagulation, (the formation of blood clots
within the blood vessels), and purpura (purple blotches of skin caused by
subcutaneous (under the skin) bleeding.
Mortality rate ~ 22% with treatment, and near 100% without treatment.
PNEUMONIC PLAGUE
Incubation period is roughly 2 to 4 days
high fever, trouble breathing and cough, which may produce
watery or bloody sputum. Patients may also have gastrointestinal
symptoms.
case-fatality ratio of 30% to 100% if left untreated.
The pneumonic form is invariably fatal unless treated early.
PANDEMIC
Justinian plague : 541 AD-750 AD
The Black Death : 1346-1353
The modern plague: 1855
TREATMENT
Antibiotics, such as streptomycin and chloramphenicol, are
highly effective
given within the first 24 hours after the symptoms of pneumonic
plague develop, mortality is significantly reduced
Plague Vaccine USP (formalin-killed)
BIO-WEAPON
UNIT 731
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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