Question

I. A missionary couple, living in West Africa bought their 4-year old son to the Emergency room as he had fever and a pinkish rash has been developing on his hands and feet at first then it spread to both arms and legs. There are no other symptoms that the child feeling very fatigued.

1. This disease is most likely caused by what bacteria? Name the disease.

2. How would epidemiology assist you in finding the sources of this illness?

3. The boy had all of his vaccines so why does he have such a disease?

4. What course of treatment would you order and why? What type of antibiotic would you use and why?

5. What are the virulence factors for the causative agent? Explain the mode of action of these factors.

(microbiology)

Answer 1

1. The disease is Scarlet fever

Scarlet fever is a disease which can occur as a result of a group A streptococcus (group A strep) infection.^[The signs and symptoms include pinkish skin rashes which develop on the extremities and then extended to the whole body, fever, generalized fatigue may or may not associated with sore throat and lymph nodes enlargement .

2.Scarlet fever occurs equally in both males and females. Children are most commonly infected, typically between 3 -15 years old. Although streptococcal infections can happen at any time of year, infection rates peak in the winter and spring months, typically in colder climates.

3. This disease is not having any vaccines available only treatment after occurring the disease.

4. Scarlet fever is usually treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bacteria and help the body’s immune system fight off the bacteria causing the infection. You’ll need to make sure your child completes the entire course of the prescribed medication.

5. The disease is caused by secretion of pyrogenic exotoxins by the infecting Streptococcus bacteria. Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (speA) is probably the best studied of these toxins. It is carried by the bacteriophage T12 which integrates into the streptococcal genome from where the toxin is transcribed. The phage itself integrates into a serine tRNA gene on the chromosome