Clinical Tute - Respiratory, CSF, Blood Infections

Question 1

What sort of samples are taken from the oral cavity?

Answer 1

Swabs, tissues

Question 2

What sort of samples are taken from the throat?

Answer 2

Swabs, tissues, fluid

Question 3

What sort of samples are taken from the lungs?

Answer 3

Fluid, aspirations/washes

Question 4

What is bronchoscopy?

Answer 4

Visualisation of the bronchi using fibre-optic bronchoscope

Question 5

Gram morphology of Strep. pneumoniae?

Answer 5

G+ diplococci (two cocci very close together, almost looks like a short rod) or cocci in chains

Question 6

What is RML consolidation?

Answer 6

Right middle lobe consolidation. Consolidation refers to the alveolar airspaces being filled with fluid (exudate/transudate/blood), cells (inflammatory), tissue, or other material. Seen as a white shadow in x-rays.

Question 7

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder?

Answer 7

Progressive and disabling condition that limits air flow in lungs, resulting in chronic retention of CO2.
Including emphysema, chronic bronchitis

Question 8

What are the main symptoms of COPD?

Answer 8

Shortness of breath, frequent coughing

Question 9

Which factors predisposes COPD?

Answer 9

Elderly, smokers

Question 10

Gram morphology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa?

Answer 10

G- rods

Question 11

Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth on blood agar?

Answer 11

Metallic sheen, colony has serrated edges

Question 12

Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth on MacConkey?

Answer 12

Green

Question 13

Gram morphology of Klebseilla?

Answer 13

G- rods

Question 14

Klebseilla growth morphology on MacConkey?

Answer 14

Pink colonies = lactose fermenter

Question 15

What is Brilliant UTI agar used for?

Answer 15

When G- rods are found in urine, plate on Brilliant UTI which is chromogen agar to differentiate between Klebseilla (bright blue), E. coli (pink), enterococcus (turquoise)

Question 16

What are the symptoms of CSF infection?

Answer 16

Fever, headache, photophobia, cerebral dysfunction

Question 17

How is CSF collected?

Answer 17

Fluid puncture, into CSF surrounding spinal chord

Question 18

Which sort of cells are increased in bacterial meningitis?

Answer 18

Polymorphs (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils)

Question 19

Which sort of cells are increased in viral meningitis?

Answer 19

Lymphocytes

Question 20

Define ‘xanthochromic’ as a term to describe CSF

Answer 20

If lots of blood in CSF, cells lyse, fluid turns orange

Question 21

Gram morphology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

Answer 21

G- cocci