Diagnosing Infections Flashcards
What are specific symptoms of pneumonia?
Cough, breathlessness, sputum
What are specific symptoms of meningitis?
Headache, neck stiffness, photophobia
What can HIV and chemotherapy lead to?
A weakened immune system
What type of infection is pneumococcal pneumonia an example of?
Bacterial infection
What WBCs are elevated during bacterial infections?
Neutrophils
What type of infection is glandular fever an example of?
Viral infection - Epstein-Barr virus
What WBCs are elevated during viral infections?
Lymphocytes
What type of infection is schistosomiasis an example of?
Parasitic infection
What WBCs are elevated in parasitic infections?
Eosinophils
What is C-reactive protein (CRP) a marker of?
Inflammation
How do you monitor kidney function?
Urea and electrolyte levels (U&E)
For blood cultures, what technique is essential and why?
Aseptic technique - prevents bacteria that covers skin from contaminating blood
Should samples be sent before or after antibiotic treatment?
Before if possible as may affect results
What should you do when sending samples to lab?
- Provide clinical background information to help
2. Inform lab if important samples are on the way
What is a lumbar puncture used for?
Examination of cerebrospinal fluid for signs of meningitis
What are IgM molecules and how are they used to monitor infection?
Big molecules. Are the first antibody elicited in immune response following infection - initial antibody response. They appear within a week and usually disappear after a few months
What are IgG molecules and how are they used to monitor infection?
Small molecules. Most abundant antibody found all over body (blood and extracellular fluid), allowing it to control infection of body tissues, preventing infection by binding many kinds of pathogens
Appears after 10-14 days
How are IgG molecules used to test immunity?
IgG molecules persist throughout life (part of immunological memory) - useful to test if immune to an infection
What are the disadvantages to IgG molecule testing?
Can cause false negative/positive results
What is the immunoglobulin test used for?
IgG & IgM are measured
- Helps diagnose immunodeficiencies
- Helps evaluate autoimmune conditions
- Gives important information about immune system function
