12. Gastrointestinal infections Flashcards
What’s the definition of gastroenteritis?
A rapid onset diarrhoeal illness, lasting less than 2 weeks with diarrhoea (loose and unformed stool) 3 or more times a day or at least 200g of stool, which is either viral or bacterial in aetiology
What is the definition of diarrhoea?
Loose or watery stools passed at least 3x in 24 hours which can be acute, chronic or persistent
What is the definition of acute diarrhoea?
Lasting less than 14 days often due to either viral or bacterial pathogens
What is the definition of persistent diarrhoea?
Between 14-29 days
What is the definition of chronic diarrhoea?
Lasting greater than 30 days, may be due to parasites and non-infectious aetiology (e.g. IBD) should be excluded
How does small bowel diarrhoea present?
Often watery, abdominal pain, large volume with bloating and gas. Accompanying fever and blood or inflammatory cells in the stool are rare.
How does large bowel diarrhoea present?
Small volume painful stool which occurs often with blood, mucus and inflammatory cells found in the stools and an accompanying fever
What are the foodborne risk factors of gastroenteritis?
Partially uncooked/unpasteurised
What are exposure related risk factors of gastroenteritis?
Outbreak situation (>2 cases suggestive of common food source or exposure), travel history, occupational (chefs, healthcare/antibiotics-> C diff), animals, institutions/childcare facilities
What are host related risk factors of gastroenteritis?
Young children and elderly, immunocompromised patients, men who have sex with men, anal-genital, oral-anal or digital-anal contact, haemochromatosis or haemoglobinopathy
What is the epidemiology of GI infections?
Underreported, viral gastroenteritis not reported in most countries, incidence of bacterial gastroenteritis is far less than viral gastroenteritis and varies country to country, depending on rural versus urban settings and the immunosuppressive risk factors of the individual. Most self-limiting and last <24 hrs. Developing and war-torn countries tend to experience outbreaks.
In gastroenteritis who are the most vulnerable groups?
Infants and elderly
What are reportable infections?
Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157, Salmonella, Shigella, Norovirus
What are the 2 main mechanisms of disease and the other which tends to occur with fever in gastroenteritis?
Secretory diarrhoea, inflammatory diarrhoea and enteric fever
How does secretory diarrhoea present?
No fever/low grade fever. No WBCs in stool sample.
What organisms cause secretory diarrhoea?
Vibrio cholerae, ETEC, EAggEC, EPEC, EHEC
How does inflammatory diarrhoea present?
Fever, WBCs in stool sample (neutrophils)
What organisms cause inflammatory diarrhoea?
C jejuni, Shigella, non-typhoidal Salmonella, EIEC
How does enteric fever present?
Fever, relatively little stool changes (usually more severe infection), MONONUCLEAR CELLS
What organisms cause enteric fever?
Typhoidal Salmonella, enteropathogenic Yersinia, Brucella
Incubation period is key in determining causative organism. What does a very short period suggest (<1 day)?
More likely due to toxins
Incubation period is key in determining causative organism. What does a longer period suggest (>1 day)?
Enteric pathogens, more inflammatory
Incubation period is key in determining causative organism. What does a longer period incubation but lasting chronically suggest (<1 day)?
Some parasites, C diff
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for S aureus?
Incubation period: 1-6 hours. Duration of illness: 24-48 hours
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for norovirus?
Incubation: 24-48 hours. Duration: 48-72 hours.
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Clostridium perfingens?
Incubation: 8-16 hours. Duration: 24-48 hours.
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for enteric viruses (rotavirus, enteric adenovirus, astrovirus, sapovirus)?
Incubation: 10-16 hours. Duration: 2-9 days.
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Listeria monocytogenes?
Incubation: 24 hours, duration: variable
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for enterotoxigenic E coli?
Incubation: 1-3 days. Duration: 2-3 days.
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for nontyphoidal salmonella?
Incubation: 1-3 days, duration: 1-7 days
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Campylobacter spp?
Incubation: 1-3 days, duration: 5-14 days
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Shigella spp?
Incubation: 1-3 days, duration: 2-3 days
What are food risk factors for S. aureus?
Pre-formed toxin in unrefrigerated foods
What are food risk factors for norovirus?
Molluscs and shellfish, leafy vegetables, fruit such as melon and raspberries, sandwiches, seasonal vomiting virus
What are food risk factors for Clostridium perfingens?
Meat, poultry, canned foods
What are food risk factors for enteric viruses?
Faecally contaminated food or water
What are food risk factors for Listeria monocytogenes?
Processed/delicatessen meats, hot dogs, soft cheese, pates, and fruit
What are food risk factors for enterotoxigenic E coli?
Faecally contaminated food or water
What are risk factors for nontyphoidal Salmonella?
Poultry, eggs, egg products, fresh produce, meat, fish, unpasteurised milk or juice
What are food risk factors for Campylobacter spp?
Poultry, meat, unpasteurised milk
What are food risk factors for Shigella spp?
Raw vegetables, MSM activity
What type of diarrhoea is seen in S aureus?
Watery diarrhoea with fever
What type of diarrhoea is seen in norovirus?
Watery diarrhoea
What type of diarrhoea is seen in Clostridium perfringens?
Watery diarrhoea
What type of diarrhoea is seen in enteric viruses?
Watery diarrhoea
What type of diarrhoea is seen in Listeria monocytogenes?
Watery diarrhoea
What type of diarrhoea is seen in enterotoxigenic E coli?
Watery diarrhoea
What type of diarrhoea is seen in nontyphoidal salmonella?
Inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucus or bloody stools
What type of diarrhoea is seen in Campylobacter spp?
Inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucus or bloody stools
What type of diarrhoea is seen in Shigella spp?
Inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucus or bloody stools
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Vibrio parahaemolyticus?
Incubation: 1-3 days, duration: 3 days
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Enterohemorrhagic E coli?
Incubation: 1-8 days, duration: 1 week
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Yersinia spp?
Incubation: 4-6 days, duration: 1-3 weeks
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Giardia lamblia?
Incubation: 7-14 days, duration: days to weeks
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Cyclospora cayetensis?
Incubation: 1-11 days, duration: may remit and relapse over a few weeks
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for Cryptosporidium parvum?
Incubation: 2-28 days, duration: may remit and relapse over a few weeks
What is the incubation period and duration of illness for C difficile?
Incubation: N/A, duration: varies but can be up to 10-14 days or longer
What are food risk factors for Vibrio parahaemolyticus?
Raw seafood and shellfish
What are food risk factors for Enterohemorrhagic E coli?
Ground beef and other meat, fresh produce, unpasteurised milk and juice
What are food risk factors for Yersinia spp?
Pork or pork products, untreated water
What are food risk factors for Giardia lamblia?
Fecally contaminated food or water
What are food risk factors for Cyclospora cayetanensis?
Herbs and berries
What are food risk factors for Cryptosporidium parvum?
Vegetables, fruit, unpasteurised milk
What are food risk factors for Clostridium difficile?
Antibiotic associated colitis, proton pump inhibitors
How does diarrhoea present in Vibrio haemolyticus?
Inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucus, or bloody stools
How does diarrhoea present in Enterohemorrhagic E coli?
Inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucous or bloody stools
How does diarrhoea present in Yersinia spp.?
Inflammatory diarrhoea, fever, mucous, or bloody stools
How does diarrhoea present in Giardia lamblia?
Watery diarrhoea
How does diarrhoea present in Cyclospora cayetanensis?
Watery diarrhoea
How does diarrhoea present in Cryptosporidium parvum?
Watery diarrhoea
How does diarrhoea present in Clostridium difficile?
Watery or inflammatory diarrhoea with fever, mucous, or bloody stools
What is the mechanism of disease in secretory diarrhoea and give an example?
TOXIN production. Cholera toxin = classic example.
- Causes massive efflux of water and Cl-
- cAMP will open chloride channels in the apical membrane of enterocytes
- The toxin will form a subunit that opens up the chloride channels leading to chloride efflux into the lumen and loss of water and electrolytes
- Leads to shock due to fluid loss
How do superantigens work in secretory diarrhoea?
- These also act very
quickly to cause secretory
diarrhoea - Toxin superantigens bind to the T cell receptor and
you get a massive
cytokine release - The binding occurs
outside the antigen
binding site - This leads to systemic
toxicity E.g. S aureus – mediated by superantigens
What plays a role in how inflammatory diarrhoea and enteric fever present??
If you have a bacteria, in an immunocompetent person you may get bacteraemia but
septic shock and neutrophilia unlikely -> in an immunocompromised host, you can get a large cytokine, IFN, TNF-A, IL response with potential for septic shock. Hence, clinical picture can vary with same microorganism depending on host.
What is the difference between inflammatory diarrhoea and enteric fever?
Inflammatory diarrhoea is exudative. Enteric fever is characterised by interstitial inflammation.
How is gastroenteritis diagnosed?
Stool sample and culture (including PCR). For enteric fever, blood, stool, bone marrow, duodenal fluid and urine can also be tested. Stool microscopy and culture where enteric infection suspected.
Why are 3 stool samples needed for ova cyst and parasites?
They cause intermittent shedding
If there is a suspicion of an outbreak what should you do?
Stools for bacterial, viral and parasitic infection should be tested irrespective of
blood in the stool, inflammatory markers or
presence of fever or systemic symptoms if
there is suspicion of an outbreak and if tested
with molecular methodology, should be
followed by culture for public
Which pathogens cause persistent or chronic diarrhoea?
Cryptosporidium spp, Giardia lamblia, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Cystoisospora belli, and Entamoeba histolytica
Which pathogens cause bloody stools?
STEC, Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Entamoeba histolytica, noncholera Vibrio species, Yersinia, Balantidium coli, Plesiomonas
Which pathogens cause fever?
Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, High temp suggestive of Salmonella or E histolytica
Which pathogens cause abdominal pain?
STEC, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, noncholera Vibrio species, C difficile
Which pathogens cause persistent abdominal pain and fever?
Y enterocoliticia and Y pseudotuberculosis, may mimic appendicitis