Bacterial Toxins Overview

Tetanus toxin disrupts neurotransmitter release, leading to spastic paralysis.

A protein produced by Clostridium tetani causing paralysis by blocking inhibitory neurotransmitters.

A condition where muscles become stiff and spasm due to uncontrolled nerve signals.

Nerve cells that release neurotransmitters to dampen motor neuron activity.

An inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system that reduces neuron excitability.

Process of transporting substances back towards the cell body of a neuron.

Generalized muscle contractions caused by excessive stimulation of motor neurons.

Tetanus can be prevented through vaccination and proper wound care.

Toxins produced by microorganisms causing infection and immune malfunction.

Toxins actively released by bacteria, often species-specific.

Toxins that remain within the bacterial cell, found in Gram-negative bacteria.

A neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, one of the most toxic substances known.

A rare, potentially fatal illness caused by botulinum toxin, affecting muscles and vision.

An exotoxin specific to Corynebacterium diphtheriae, essential for diphtheria disease.

An exotoxin that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration, produced by Vibrio cholerae.

Toxins that affect nerve cells, impairing their function.

A bacterium that can act as a commensal in humans but can become an opportunistic pathogen.

An organism that normally does not cause disease but can infect when the host's defense is compromised.

Molecules produced by pathogens that contribute to their ability to cause disease.

Toxins produced by S. aureus that can damage host tissues and immune responses.

A strain of S. aureus that is resistant to methicillin and other antibiotics.

Toxins from S. aureus that cause food poisoning symptoms.

A super-antigen produced by S. aureus that causes toxic shock syndrome.

An enzyme produced by some bacteria, including S. aureus, that provides resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics.

SEs bind to T cells and MHC class II, activating the immune system.

The process by which immune cells secrete signaling molecules, leading to inflammation.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain following toxin ingestion.

Exotoxins causing skin peeling, associated with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS).

A severe condition defined by fever, rash, and low blood pressure, often due to superantigens.

An enterotoxin produced by Vibrio cholerae that disrupts G-proteins, leading to excessive water loss.

A potentially fatal illness transmitted via contaminated food or water, targeting the intestines.

Enzymatic action that degrades skin proteins, leading to skin peeling in SSSS.

An infection of the small intestine caused by Vibrio cholerae.

Classic symptoms include watery diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps.

An excessive loss of fluid through stools, characteristic of cholera.

Severe loss of body fluids due to diarrhea, potentially leading to shock and death.

Vibrio cholerae survives stomach acid, then produces a toxin in the small intestine.

The part of the digestive system where Vibrio cholerae thrives after leaving the stomach.

The process by which cholera toxin enters intestinal cells by binding to receptors.