Diarrhoea

Question 1

What is the epidemiology of gastro enteritis?

Answer 1

Contamination of food 
Storage of produce 
Campylobacter 
Travel related infections 
Person to person

Question 2

What is the most common pathogen to cause food poisoning?

Answer 2

Campylobacter

Question 3

What are the body’s defences against enteric infections?

Answer 3

Hygiene
Stomach acidity
Normal flora
Immunity

Question 4

What are the different types of diarrhoea?

Answer 4

Non-inflammatory/secretory (Cholera)
Inflammatory (Shigella dysentery)
Mixed picture (C diff)

Question 5

What is the clinical feature of non inflammatory diarrhoea?

Answer 5

Frequent watery stools with little abdominal pain

Question 6

What is the treatment for non inflammatory diarrhoea?

Answer 6

Rehydration

Question 7

How does cholera cause diarrhoea?

Answer 7

Increases cAMP levels and Cl secretion

Question 8

How does inflammatory diarrhoea differ from non inflammatory?

Answer 8

Inflammatory toxin damage and mucosal destruction

Non inflammatory is secretory toxin mediated

Question 9

How is inflammatory diarrhoea treated?

Answer 9

Mainly rehydration

Antimicrobials

Question 10

What are the differential diagnoses for diarrhoea?

Answer 10

Inflammatory bowel disease
Carcinoma
Spurious diarrhoea secondary to constipation