4) infection, MSK Flashcards
What is often given to patients during surgery to reduce the risk of post-op infections?
where to find further guidance on this?
normally give single dose of one or more ANTIBIOTICS just before or during surgery
which Abx are used depend on the type of surgery an local guidelines
check trust guidelines!!
Locations to look for infection on a post-op patient? 7
- peritonism (ie intra-abdo)
- wound infection
- cannula site infection
- chest infection
- UTI
- meningism
- endocarditis
PYREXIA in post-op patients:
- possible benign causes? 3
- investigations to consider? (5 bloods, 2 other, 3 imaging)
- what non-infection complication should you also check for? 1
MILD pyrexia in first 48hrs post-op may be from:
- atelectasis (needs prompt physio, not Abx)
- tissue damange / necrosis
- blood transfusion
HOWEVER have a low threshold for infection screen!!
- FBC
- U+E
(- LFT) - CRP
- blood cultures
- urine dip
(-MSU) - CXR
(- USS)
(- CT scan)
ALWAYS check for DVT!!!
- can cause a temp!
C. DIFF:
- what type of colitis does it cause?
- which CLASSES of antibiotics are highest risk? 3
- other risk factors? 6
pseudomembranous colitis (PMC)
CAUSATIVE ABX
- cephalosporins
- macrolides (esp clari)
- fluroquinolones (anything with ‘floxacin’ - eg ciprofloxacin)
“remember that often start with C for C diff”
- long hospital stay
- ITU stay
- NG tube
- elderly
- co-morbidities
- immnocompromised
SYMPTOMS of C. DIFF
- how long post-Abx do these tend to occur?
- main symptoms? 3
symptoms typically appear 5-10 DAYS post-Abx therapy
1) WATERY DIARRHOEA
- resolves 1-2 weeks post-Abx
- Varies from asymptomatic carrier (1-3% all adults)→ self limiting → severe + debilitating
- Can be BLOOD stained
2) COLICKY ABDO CRAMPS
3) FEVER w/ Rigors
INVESTIGATIONS for C. DIFF:
- bedside test to get? 1 (how many times?)
- important bloods to get? 4
1) STOOL SAMPLE (get 3!)
nb this is a stool cyto toxins test - some C Diff produce toxins, others don’t - can also do culture and other fancy tests! - ask micro!
- FBC (↑↑WCC – 80%, often v.high),
- ↑↑CRP
- ↓Albumin (inf/sepsis/protein losing enteropathy)
- U+Es – essential to determine electrolyte loss
nb consider colonoscopy w biopsy if really severe!! (or think may be a DDx)
C. DIFF:
- approach if pt critically unwell?
- antibiotic options? 2 (incl route)
- additional supportive / nursing management that should also always do? 4
A-E approach
1st) ORAL METRONIDAZOLE
2nd) ORAL VANCOMYCIN
nb only indication for oral vancomycin!
nb use both if severe!
nb if asymptomatic may not need abx!
1) STOP causative abx!
2) put pt in side room
3) give fluids (PO + IV) to replace losses
4) inform public health england!!
nb Adjuvant pro-biotics, IV immunoglobulin or rifampacin used in refractory or recurrent C.diff (also Faecal transplant - Colectomy if Toxic megacolon)
DDx for C Diff? 4 (ie watery diarrhoea)
- side effect of Abx (esp macrolides)
- IBD
- food poisoning
- typhoid etc (always askl Travel Hx)
Which Abx is given to treat MRSA? 1
Vancomycin
HIV
- four main stages of infection? (just name them - do descriptions on later flashcards)
stage 1 = SEROCONVERSION
HIV:
- how long take to become established in body post-exposure?
- time scale of seroconversion?
- 3 main presentations of seroconversion?
48-72 hours to become established in body post-exposure
SERO CONVERSION
- transient illness 2-6 weeks after exposure
1) FLU-LIKE symptoms
- headache, fever, malaise, myalgia, pharyngitis
2) EXACERBATION of CHRONIC inflamm conditions
- eg eczema, mouth ulcers, lymphadenopathy
3) MACULOPAPULAR RASH on TRUNK
nb can rarely get meningoencephalitis too
HIV:
- typical presentation of clinical latency?
- what may some patients have? 1
after initially seroconversion illness, pts are normally ASYMPTOMATIC for a period
30% will have persistent generalised LYMPHADENOPATHY (PGL)
- nb this is nodes >1cm for >3 months
HIV: AIRDS related complex (ARC)
- what is it considered as?
- possible systemic symptoms? 4
- common opportunistic infections/conditions? 10
AIDS related complex (ARC) = ↓CD4 + ↑HIV viral load
Regarded as a prodrome to AIDS
SYSTEMIC
- fever
- night sweats
- DIARRHOEA
- weight loss
OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS
- TB (most common)
- candida (norm oesophagus)
- EBV
- shingles
- atypical pneumonia (incl; pneumocystis)
- cryptococcal meningitis
- toxoplasmosis
- kaposi’s sarcoma
- invasive cervical cancer
- lymphoma
Stage 4 of HIV infection
- aka?
- prognosis if no HAART?
aka AIDs (although this name is going out of favour dt stigma! - say serious HIV infection etc)
2 years prognosis if no HAART
What 3 conditions are associated with HIV and should consider testing for HIV if someone presents with them? 3
- Syphilis
- EBV
- TB
Who should have a HIV test? 8
- Anyone who requests it
- All registering in GP where prevalence exceeds 2/1000
- Sexual intercourse w/ person from high risk country (Africa, middle east, Caribbean)
- Sexual partner w/ HIV +ve person
- Homosexual men or MSM
- IVDU
- Anyone with STI
- Anyone with suspicion of HIV as differential
HIV testing:
- 2 types of point of care tests? 2
- window period for antigen test?
- window period for antibody test?
POCT
- self-sampling (blood or saliva)
- rapid test kit (30 mins)
HIV antigen
- use 2-4 weeks after exposure
HIV antibody
- can use if >4weeks post-exposure
If someone is HIV positive, other things to consider testsing for? 7
TB
Hep B+C
Tocoplasma
CMV
Syphilis
other STIs
Management of HIV:
- mainstay of treatment? 1
- what should be monitored? 1
- how to prevent opportunistic infections? 2
Highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)
monitor viral load, CD4 count AND FBC every 3 months
- nb do other routine blood tests every 6 months
prevent:
- vaccines (pneumococcal, fluy, hepatitis, tetanus)
- prophylactic antivirals and/or antibiotics (if CD4 count is below certain level)
HIV positive mothers:
- how to reduce risk of transmission to baby?
- vaginal birth or c-section?
- breast or bottle feeding?
Suppress mums viral load with HAART
Measure viral load @ 36wk
Can have normal vaginal delivery if VL suppressed (<50 copies/ml @ 36 wks)
May require C-Section
Neonate PEP for 4 wks
Avoidance of breast feeding
nb if do all this risk drops from 45% to <1%
When can give PEP to avoid sero-conversion?
within 72 hours of exposure
INFLUENZA:
- when is a person with flu infective from and to?
infective from 1 day before symptoms to 7 days after symptoms end
INFLUENZA:
- main symptoms? 7
Fever
Headache
Malaise
↓Mood
Myalgia
Nausea and Vomiting
Conjunctivitis, eye pain – conjunctivitis ± photophobia
INFLUENZA:
- which four broad groups most at risk of complications? 4
Chronic resp disease – COPD, bronchiectasis, CF, interstitial lung fibrosis, asthma
Chronic heart disease – congenital, HF, IHD
CKD or CLD or DM
Immunosuppression
BASICALLY any serious chronic disease or immunosuppression!