Environmental Health shit Flashcards
A common pathogen found in wound infections
from dog bites.
Pasteurella multocida
Antibiotic indications for dog bite
(1 Signs of infection
(2 Bite on face present for > 24 hours OR bite on extremity > 8 hours without irrigation
(3 Immunocompromised state for the victim
(4 Crush injury or significant contamination of wound
(5 Bite wounds of the hands or feet
Antibiotics used for dog bites
Amoxicillin/Cla vulanate (Augmentin) - PCN Antibiotic with broad spectrum coverage
Dose: 875/125 mg BID or 500/125 mg TID
Clindamycin + fluoroquinolone if penicillin allergic
Dose: 300 mg PO q 6 hours for 7 days
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Dose: 750mg PO BID for 4-8 weeks
Cat bite infections are due to
Pasteurella
Antibiotics that should be directed against Aeromonas hydrophila, (bodies of water excluding sea water)
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethaxazole (Bactrim DS)
Dose: 800mg/160mg PO q 12 hours for 7 days
Doxycycline
100mg BID for 7 days
Antibiotics based of sea water animals (Vibrio
species)
Doxycycline Plus Ceftriaxone 1 gram IV daily
or
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) 2 grams IV every 12 hours
Mosquito-borne diseases found in the U.S. are:
(a) Eastern equine encephalitis
(b) Western equine encephalitis
(c) St. Louis encephalitis
(d) La Crosse encephalitis
(e) West Nile virus
Treatment of Mosquito-borne illness starts with
Consulting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the local COCOM and TYCOM for the most current Force Protection recommendations when deploying of conducting field operations.
Stings/bites in the order of insects that includes ants, bees, and wasps
Hymenoptera
Clinical signs of Hymenoptera Sting
A local reaction is the most common reaction
Victims of multiple stings often experience:
1) Vomiting
2) Diarrhea
3) Dyspnea
4) Hypotension
5) Tachycardia
6) Syncope
7) Skin infections
In advanced stages of toxicity, the victim experiences:
1) Increased muscle activity with hyperkalemia
2) Acute tubular necrosis
3) Renal failure
4) Pancreatitis
5) Coagulopathy
6) Heart attack
7) Stroke
Treatment for Hymenoptera Sting
(a) Remove the stinger
1) Scrape away the stinger in a horizontal fashion.
2) Try not to grasp the stinger sac.
3) However, if one is unable to remove the stinger in a horizontal fashion, it is
most important to remove it as soon as possible by any available means.
(b) Wash the site with soap and water.
(c) Place a cold compress or ice on the site to reduce inflammation.
(d) Give oral analgesics as needed for pain relief.
(e) Topical steroid cream can be helpful for swelling, as are oral antihistamines.
how often can epi be used
The epinephrine injection can be repeated 5 to 10 minutes after the initial injection.
Ticks transmit many diseases, including
a) Lyme Disease
(b) Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF)
(c) Relapsing fever
(d) Colorado tick fever
(e) Ehrlichiosis
(f) Babesiosis
(g) Tularemia
(h) Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI)
What is Tick paralysis
A non-infectious ascending paralysis similar to Guillain- Barre syndrome, may occur within five days after the tick attaches. Removal of the tick is
curative.
Coral Snake bites
Neurotoxins cause respiratory paralysis
(a) Signs and Symptoms: ptosis, dysphagia, diplopia, and respiratory arrest via
diaphragmatic paralysis
Rattle Snake bites
Cytolytic (rattlesnakes, other pit vipers) - Cytolytic venoms cause tissue destruction by
digestion and hemorrhage due to hemolysis and destruction of the endothelial lining of
the blood vessels.
Cytolitic Signs and Symptoms:
(a) Local pain
(b) Redness
(c) Swelling
(d) Extravasation of blood
(e) Perioral tingling
(f) Metallic taste
(g) Nausea and vomiting
(h) Hypotension
(i) Coagulopathy
Venomous or non venomous snake?
(a) Triangular head
(b) Keeled scales
(c) Elliptical pupils
(d) Nostrils plus IR pit
(e) Single row of subcaudal scales
Venomous snake
Venomous or non venomous snake?
(a) Oval shaped head
(b) Round pupil
(c) No IR pit
(d) Double row of subcaudal scales
Non-Venomous
Red touches black your OK jack. Red touches yellow you’re dead fellow
Identifies the appearance of the coral snake
Black Widow Spiders signs, symptoms and treatment:
1) Generalized muscular pains
2) Muscle spasms,
3) Rigidity
4) Abdominal Pain
1) Pain may be relieved with pain control and muscle relaxants (benzodiazepines
and supportive care)
Brown Recluse Spider signs, symptoms and treatment.
Causes progressive local necrosis as well as hemolytic reactions (rare). Bite is usually painless.
Pain management for secondary local necrosis and close monitoring initially. Consider antibiotic prophylaxis in field setting. Bites occasionally progress to extensive local necrosis and may require excision of the bite site and oral corticosteroids.
Scorpions signs, symptoms and treatment:
(a) Muscle cramps
(b) Twitching and jerking
(c) Occasionally hypertension
(d) Convulsions
(e) Pulmonary edema
(a) Supportive care is appropriate for North American species.
(b) Always review the threat of local species when operating OCONUS
(c) If severe neurologic or neuromuscular dysfunction consult poison control and
discuss further management and anti-venom
(d) Suction oral secretions, airway management, cardiac monitoring, IV opioids
preferably fentanyl due to no histamine release, benzo for spasms unless getting
anti-venom
Jelly fish signs symptoms and treatment
(a) Pain
(b) Erythema
(c) Edema
(d) Pruritus
(e) Vesiculations
(f) Anaphylaxis
(a) Rinse the area with seawater. Do not rinse with freshwater. Fresh water promotes Nemocyst activation.
(b) Remove tentacles with a gloved hand the scrape off any remaining nemocysts by
covering with sand/shaving cream/baking soda and scraped off with straight edge.
Sticky tape may also remove nemocysts
(c) Vinegar x 30 sec deactivates nemocysts
Antihistamines, topical corticosteroids, and pain medications
Coneshells signs, symptoms and treatment
(a) Mild to severe pain
(b) Stinging or numbness
(c) Local to total paralysis
(a) Pressure Immobilization Dressing and supportive care to include close monitoring of
respiratory status
(b) MEDEVAC for advanced supportive care, possible need for ventilation if symptoms
worsen. Usually resolves in 24-72hrs
Stingray and stinging fish signs, symptoms and treatment
(a) Barbed spines that are a penetrating injury and envenomation.
(b) Spine commonly remains lodged in wound.
(a) Remove and irrigate to remove fragments
(b) Toxin is heat labile and immediate relief of pain can be obtained by placing the
wound in water heated to 40-45 Celsius (104-113 Fahrenheit) for 30min intervals (know both temps)
(c) Poison control useful for all envenomations
(d) Extremely painful and typically does not respond well to pain relievers
(e) Local anesthetic can be used to help with pain if hot water immersion is ineffective
(not in combination)
Prophylactic antibiotics to include coverage for Vibro are indicated:
1) Doxycycline - is in the Tetracycline family of antibiotics
a) Dose: 100mg BID for 7 days
b) Tetanus vaccine
The following factors increase the risk of drowning:
(a) Inadequate adult supervision.
(b) Inability to swim or overestimation of swimming capabilities.
(c) Risk-taking behavior.
(d) Use of alcohol and illicit drugs (more than 50 percent of adult drowning deaths are
believed to be alcohol-related).
(e) Hypothermia, which can lead to rapid exhaustion or cardiac arrhythmias.
(f) Concomitant trauma, stroke, or myocardial infarction.
(g) Seizure disorder or developmental/behavioral disorders in children.
Fatal and nonfatal drowning typically begins with a period of
panic, loss of the normal
breathing pattern, breath-holding, air hunger, and a struggle by the victim to stay above the water.
Reflex inspiratory efforts eventually occur, leading to hypoxemia by means of either aspiration or reflex laryngospasm that occurs when water contacts the lower respiratory tract.
Both salt water and fresh water wash out surfactant, often producing noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and the acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS)
Arrhythmias secondary to hypothermia and hypoxemia are often observed in nonfatal drowning victims.
Three phases of treating near drowning victim
prehospital care,
emergency department (ED) care, and inpatient care.
Treatment of near drowning victim
Rescue and immediate resuscitation by bystanders improve the outcome of drowning victims.
Prehospital resuscitative efforts should be continued, and the airway secured as indicated.
In the symptomatic patients who do not require immediate intubation, supplemental oxygen should be provided to maintain the SpO2 above 94 percent
May require intubation
No immersion in water, and wet clothing should be removed to avoid hypothermia
In the symptomatic patient, indications for intubation include the following:
1) Signs of neurological deterioration or inability to protect the airway.
2) Inability to maintain a PaO2 above 60 mmHg or oxygen saturation (SpO2) above 90 percent despite high-flow supplemental oxygen.
3) PaCO2 above 50 mmHg.
Near drowning presenting with the following factors at presentation have been associated with a poor
prognosis:
a) Duration of submersion > 5 minutes (most critical factor)
b) Time to effective basic life support > 10 minutes
c) Resuscitation duration > 25 minutes
d) Age > 14 years
e) Glascgow coma scale < 5 (i.e., comatose)
f) Persistent apnea requirement of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the
emergency department.
g) Arterial blood pH<7.1 upon presentation
True or false? simply remaining above and not coming into contact with the sediment
may reduce the diver’s potential exposure.
True
True or false your dry suit for swimming should be rough in order to prevent contamination.
False.
The dry suit material should have a smooth outer surface which does not trap
contaminants and is capable of being thoroughly decontaminated. Some dry suit manufacturers have had their suit materials tested against a variety of contaminants
in the laboratory using ASTM methods
Biological contaminants included in the tg are?
(a) Harmful algal blooms (e.g., red tide),
(b) Bacteria (e.g., fecal coliforms),
(c) Viruses and parasites which could potentially harm an unprotected diver.
(d) Biological contaminants may be present in storm water runoff and pose hazards to divers and to surface support personnel, especially when diving in near shore, urban
areas within 36 hours of a storm event.
five bacteria that most commonly produce soft tissue infections in association with exposure to water or water-related animals.
(a) Aeromonas species
(b) Edwardsiella tarda,
(c) Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae,
(d) Vibrio vulnificus,
(e) Mycobacterium marinum.
Trauma including infection from polluted waters should be treated how?
(a) Assessment to determine whether treatment requires hospitalization
(b) Empiric antibiotic administration, assessment of tetanus vaccination status
(c) Assessment of tetanus vaccination status
(d) Surgical consultation for potential debridement in patients with necrotizing
infections
Recommended initial empiric therapy for trauma in polluted waters
Cephalexin (Keflex)
Clindamycin PLUS Levofloxacin + Flagyl
use if exposure to sewage – contaminated water or if soil – contaminated wound
(a) Doxycycline (100mg twice daily) for coverage of vibrio species if seawater exposure
Clindamycin plus Levofloxacin
1) Dose: 300 mg PO q 6 hours for 7 days
Levofloxacin (Levaquin) - Fluoroquinolone antibiotic
1) Dose: 500 mg PO daily x 7 days
Metronidazole (Flagyl) - is an antibiotic with cytotoxic effects towards anaerobic
organisms
1) Dose: 500mg PO TID for 7-10 day
Cephalexin (Keflex) - is a 1st generation Cephalosporin antibiotic
(a) Dose: 250mg PO four times daily (QID)
Once the patient is safely accessible for the IDC, the mainstay of patient treatment for toxic gas is supportive care with:
1) High-flow, 100% oxygen
2) BVM ventilation
3) Endotracheal intubation (ETI) as needed
Inhaled agents manifest their toxic effects by four different mechanisms:
1) Physical particulates
2) Simple asphyxiants
3) Chemical irritants
4) Chemical asphyxiants
Physical Particulates
Physical particulates are small, solid particles that are carried by gases or
atmospheric air into the body through inhalation (e.g., dust or combustion soot).
In general, these small particles cause physical irritation to the upper airways. In some cases, extremely small particles may even be carried down to the alveolar
level and cause mechanical problems, such as impairing proper gas exchange.
Physical particulates may act as vehicles that carry toxic chemicals, such as organic acids, throughout the respiratory system.
Physical findings of physical particulates
Irritation of the respiratory system.
Excessive coughing and shortness of breath.
Dyspnea that might not
caused by significantly impair airway diameter.
productive cough
burns to the face,
signed nasal vibrissae
Presence of soot in places like the oro and nasopharynx
Treatment of exposure to physical particulates
1) Remove the patient from the source of the physical particulates and
administer oxygen.
2) Patients with signs of reactive airway disease (e.g., wheezing and poor air flow) should be treated with nebulized Albuterol.
Simple Asphyxiants
gas agents that include:
1) Carbon dioxide (CO2)
2) Nitrogen
3) Methane
4) Natural gas
Simple asphyxiants have no inherent toxic or metabolic effect on the body’s cells, other than causing hypoxia by default due to lack of adequate oxygen
Which simple asphyxiant causes a narcotic-like
sleepiness as the initial effect of exposure.
CO2