Key Points Chlamydia trachomatis , the most common notifiable condition in the United States, is the most common bacterial cause of sexually transmitted disease in the United States and its prevalence is rising. The most sensitive method for detecting C.…
Key Points Human disease caused by spirochetes typically follows a clinical course that reflects three sequential phenomena: (1) early, local proliferation of the organisms at the site of introduction, (2) spirochetemia with systemic dissemination, and (3) persistence of small numbers…
Key Points Opportunistic fungal pathogens have emerged as common causes of invasive disease in the compromised host. Histopathologic examination of deep tissue is a major means used for the rapid detection and recognition of fungal pathogens causing invasive infection. Micromorphologic…
Key Points The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex is of public health importance because it is transmitted from person to person. The Mantoux skin test and interferon-γ release assays are useful for identifying persons with latent M. tuberculosis infection. For optimal detection…
Key Points The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is defined as the lowest concentration of antibiotic that inhibits the visible growth of an organism in vitro. It is distinguished from the breakpoint, which is the concentration of antibiotic that determines whether an…
Key Points Bacteria can be categorized based on the Gram stain reaction (gram-positive or gram-negative), shape (cocci, bacilli, coccobacilli, spirochete), preferred atmosphere (aerobic, microaerophilic, anaerobic), and presence or absence of spores. They can be identified on the basis of key…
Key Points The prevalence of allergic disease, particularly food allergy, has increased in recent years throughout the world, especially in developed countries. Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody is the most important trigger molecule for allergic inflammation. Laboratory tests for IgE…
Key Points Autoimmune disorders frequently affect the skin, gastrointestinal, and hepatobiliary systems; the kidney; the endocrine system; and the nervous system. The dominant clinical feature of organ-specific autoimmune disease is chronic inflammation, generally localized in a single organ specific for…
Key Points Vasculitis affects blood vessels of any type in any organ or tissue and causes diverse signs and symptoms of disease that overlap with many other diseases. Even if it is not the final diagnosis, vasculitis is often in…
Key Points Many types of autoantibodies to intracellular antigens are present in the various systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Currently it is considered important not only to detect the presence and quantity of the intracellular autoantibody in the patient but also…