Gastroenteritis

Question 1

What is gastroenteritis.

Answer 1

A viral or bacterial infection of the intestine.

Question 2

What is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children.

Answer 2

Rotavirus.

Question 3

What viruses can cause gastroenteritis. (3)

Answer 3

Rotavirus.
Norovirus.
Adenovirus.

Question 4

What are the bacterial causes of gastroenteritis. (3)

Answer 4

Campylobacter.
Salmonella.
Shigella.

Question 5

Is gastroenteritis contagious.

Answer 5

Yes, highly.

Question 6

When is gastroenteritis most common.

Answer 6

In childhood.

It is one of the most common childhood diseases.

Question 7

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis. (3)

Answer 7

Acute onset of vomiting, followed by diarrhoea.

Fever.

Question 8

What does blood in the stool indicate in a patient with gastroenteritis.

Answer 8

Bacterial infection.

Question 9

What are the physical signs of a patient with diarrhoea. (2)

Answer 9

Signs of dehydration.

Abdominal discomfort.

Question 10

What percentage water loss constitutes as mild dehydration in children.

Question 11

What percentage water loss constitutes as moderate dehydration in children.

Answer 11

5-10%

Question 12

What percentage of water loss constitutes as severe dehydration in children.

Answer 12

> 10%

Question 13

What are the clinical features of mild dehydration in children. (2)

Answer 13

Thirsty.

Dry mucous membranes.

Question 14

What are the clinical features of moderate dehydration in children. (7)

Answer 14

Lethargic. 
Reduced skin turgor. 
Sunken eyes. 
Sunken anterior fontanelle. 
Tachycardia. 
Reduced urine output. 
Reduced tears.

Question 15

What are the clinical features of severe dehydration in children. (5)

Answer 15

Drowsy. 
Absent urine output. 
Prolonged capillary refill time. 
Weak pulse. 
Low BP. 
(signs of hypovolaemic shock).

Question 16

What are the three mechanisms of bacterial gastroenteritis.

Answer 16

Mucosal adherence.
Mucosal invasion.
Toxin production.

Question 17

Give examples of bacteria who use mucosal adherence to cause disease. (2)

Answer 17

E.Coli O104:H4. (Outbreak in Germany 2011).

E.Coli (EPEC).

Question 18

Give examples of bacteria who use mucosal invasion to cause disease. (3)

Answer 18

E.coli (EIEC).
Shigella.
Campylobacter.

Question 19

What are the two types of toxin produced by bacteria that can cause gastroenteritis.

Answer 19

Enterotoxins.

Cytotoxins.

Question 20

What bacteria produce enterotoxins. (5)

Answer 20

E.Coli (ETEC) (diarrhoea). 
Staph aureus (vomiting). 
Cholera.
Bacillus cereus (vomiting). 
Salmonella.

Question 21

What is fried rice poisoning.

Answer 21

The toxin produced by B. cereus is present in cooked rice left standing overnight at room temperature.

Question 22

Give an example of a bacteria producing cytotoxins.

Answer 22

E.Coli O157.

Question 23

How do enterotoxins cause disease.

Answer 23

Induce excess fluid secretion into the bowel lumen, leading to water diarrhoea, without physically damaging the mucosa.

Question 24

How do cytotoxins cause disease.

Answer 24

They damage the intestinal mucosa, and sometimes the vascular endothelium.

Question 25

How is bacterial gastroenteritis divided clinically. (2)

Answer 25

Divided into:
Watery diarrhoea.
Dysentery.

Question 26

What are the symptoms of salmonella. (4)

Answer 26

Nausea.
Cramping abdominal pain.
Diarrhoea.
Sometimes fever.

Question 27

Food poisoning is a ______ illness in the UK>

Answer 27

Notifiable.

Question 28

What is the main cause of gastroenteritis.

Answer 28

Contaminated water and food.

Question 29

What is travellers’ diarrhoea.

Answer 29

It is defined as the passage of three or more unformed stools per day in a resident of an industrialized country travelling in a developing nation.

Question 30

What is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis in the UK.

Answer 30

Norovirus.

Question 31

What is the most common form of bacterial gastroenteritis in the UK.

Answer 31

Campylobacter jejuni.