Clostridium Difficile Flashcards

1
Q

Clostridium Difficile aka?

A

C. difficile colitis

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2
Q

what is clostridium difficile?

A

a gram positive rod bacteria

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3
Q

where is clostridium difficile commonly encountered?

A

hospitals

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4
Q

effect clostridium difficile has on your body if infected by it?

A

makes toxins, damaging the intestine

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5
Q

when infected by clostridium difficile what syndrome is caused?

A

pseudomembranous colitis

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6
Q

main reason why someone would get infected by clostridium difficile in the first place?

A

normal gut flora gets removed, clostridium difficile then takes over

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7
Q

what causes normal gut flora to be removed?

A

broad-spectrum antibiotics

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8
Q

which drug is classically associated with a clostridium difficile infection?

drug group?

A

Clindamycin

antibiotics
lincomycin

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9
Q

is clindamycin bacteriostatic or bactericidal?

A

bacteriostatic

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10
Q

moa of clindamycin?

A

binds to 50S subunit of the ribosome, this inhibits bacterial protein synthesis

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11
Q

Why is it called Pseudomembranous Colitis?

A

Inflammatory exudate leaks, it coalesces on colon surface to make a pseudomembrane.

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12
Q

Risk Factors?

- 2 drug groups

A

broad-spectrum antibiotics

PPIs

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13
Q

symptoms?

-2

A

Diarrhoea

Abdo pain

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14
Q

FBC main finding?

-1

A

raised WBC

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15
Q

features on AXR?

-2

A

thumbprinting, bowel dilatation

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16
Q

why do you get diarrhoea?

A

Colon inflamed, so water not absorbed

17
Q

why do you get Abdo pain?

A

Colon inflamed, toxins in colon

18
Q

why do you get thumbprinting?

A

thickening of the haustral folds

19
Q

what test is needed to diagnose a Clostridium difficile infection?

positive result on this test?

A

stool test

Clostridium difficile toxin in stool

20
Q

1st Line drug for a C.diff infection?

A

metronidazole

21
Q

1st Line drug for a C.diff infection?

route?

how long do you take for?
-time range

A

metronidazole

oral

10-14 days

22
Q

2nd Line drug for a C.diff infection?

route?

A

vancomycin

oral

23
Q

pt has Life-threatening Clostridium difficile infection/ pseudomembranous colitis.

antibiotics given?
-2

route for each?

A

intravenous metronidazole

oral vancomycin

24
Q

Major Complication of Pseudomembranous Colitis?
-3

(ovo unusual but happens if infection really bad)

A

Toxic megacolon
Perforation
Sepsis

25
Q

Prognosis of pseudomembranous Colitis?

A

recurrent infection occurs in ~20% of patients

26
Q

Metronidazole group?

Metronidazole class?

A

antibiotic

class: nitroimidazole

27
Q

Vancomycin group?

Vancomycin class?

A

antibiotic

class: glycopeptide

28
Q

a positive stool test for the C.diff antigen only tells you what?

(what does it not tell you?)

A

positivity only shows exposure to the bacteria

does not tell you if there is a current infection