Bacterial Disease - Importance and Examples Flashcards

1
Q

Why are bacterial infections important?

A

Very common - seen every day in practice
Diagnosis can be more difficult than expected

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Methods of Bacterial Infection Diagnosis

A

Non-specific to bacterial infections
* Pyrexia
* Blood work
* Fluid samples
* Acute phase proteins
* Breed/species specifics

Specific to bacterial infections
* Culture and sensitivity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How can pyrexia help diagnose?

A

Not specific to bacterial infections
* Would expect animal with bacterial infection to be pyrexic
* Subnormal temperature is a sign of severe sepsis
* Can assess temperature of specific areas on clinical exam
Heat is a sign of inflammation - potentially infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How can blood work help diagnose?

A

Not specific to bacterial infections
Expect to see changes in blood work
* Leucocytosis and neutrophilia in most bacterial infections
* Can have neutropaenia when severe because of margination (cells attracted to site of sepsis)
* Can have peripheral leucopenia with bacterial infections which cause diarrhoea (salmonella)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Margination

A

When cells are being attracted to site of sepsis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How can Fluid Samples help diagnose?

A

Sample fluid from site of sepsis
○ Tracheal wash
○ Peritoneal fluid
○ Joint fluid
○ Pleural fluid
Leucocytosis and neutrophilia
○ See degenerate neutrophils and toxic change
Can biopsy skin and organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Toxic change

A

Refers to how neutrophils are being made
How hard is bone marrow working

Neutrophil levels in BLOOD

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Degenerate Neutrophils

A

Sign of bacterial infections
* Refers to how they’re dying
* Neutrophil levels in TISSUES

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Left shift

A

More immature than segmented due to infection
* Bone marrow producing more new neutrophils and mature ones dying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How can acute phase proteins help diagnose?

A

Bacterial infection causes increase in acute phase proteins due to inflammation
* Non-specific to bacterial infection
Moderate increase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Acute phase proteins in specific species

A

Serum amyloid a - cats, horses
Activated protein C - dogs
Haptoglobin - cattle

Fibrinogen - general

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How can culture and sensitivity help diagnose?

A

Specific to bacterial infections
* Confirms and identifies bacteria
Allows for selection of correct antibiotic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Limitations of culturing

A

Some fluids are difficult to culture:
* Cerebro-spinal fluid
* Joint fluid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Limitations of sensitivity testing

A

Antibiotic might be sensitive in a petri-dish but not in a patient
* Won’t work if can’t get to site of infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What other methods of diagnosis for bacterial infections are there?

A

Ultrasound

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Diagnosis of pyometra

A

Large fluid filled uterus on ultrasound
* older unspayed bitch
* Off food
* Polydipsia
* Pyrexia
* purulent discharge from vulva

17
Q

Treatment of pyometra

A

Need to determine whether uterus is open or closed
* Open - needs surgery
* Closed - give antibiotics

18
Q

Diagnosis of septic pericarditis

A
  • Hypoechoic fluid around heart on ultrasound
  • Common in cows
    Wires pierce reticulum, diaphragm and penetrate pericardial sac
  • leads to fluid accumulation and heart failure
19
Q

Treatment of septic pericarditis

A

Short term
* drained and managed with antibiotics

Long term
* Poor prognosis

20
Q

Diagnosis of pleuropneumonia

A

Seen in horses
* Hypoechoic fluid in pleural space
* stands of fibrin connecting surface of lung to parietal pleura

21
Q

Treatment of pleuropneumonia

A

Antibiotics alone won’t work
* Need to remove inflammatory and bacterial fluid
flush with sterile fluids
* Systemic and local antibiotics
* Products to breakdown fibrin

22
Q

Diagnosis of peritonitis

A
  • Increased echogenicity on ultrasound in peritoneal space
23
Q

Treatment of peritonitis

A

Unlikely to get better with just antibiotics
* Need to lavage abdomen to remove inflammatory fluid

24
Q

What does bacterial infection treatment depend on?

A

Location of infection
Underlying cause
Does the bacteria need to be killed?
Does body just need support to fight infection?