Gastrointestinal Flashcards
What is the most common symptom of gastrointestinal infection?
Diarrhoea
What other non-infective causes of diarrhoea?
Cancer
Inflammatory bowel disease
Irritable bowel syndrome
Drugs
What are the other symptoms of GI infections?
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal cramps
What about the diarrhoea can indicate the severity of the infection?
Watery - non-inflammatory
Bloody/mucoid - inflammatory
What group of organisms causes the most diarrhoea in the UK?
Viruses
What are bacterial causes of watery diarrhoea?
Cholera, E.coli, S. aureus, Bacillus cereus.
What are viral causes of watery diarrhoea?
Rotavirus, norovirus
What is a parasitic cause of water diarrhoea?
Giardia
What is a bacterial cause of bloody diarrhoea?
Shigella, E.coli, Salmonella, C. diff, Campylobacter
What are risk factors for GI infection?
Recent travel Immunocompromised Contact with an infected individual A hobby that has exposures - ie. water sports or with animals. Food and drink - ie. BBQ
What bacteria is linked to infection from BBQ?
Campylobacter
What bacteria is linked to infection from reheated rice?
Bacillus cereus
What investigations should be carried out in suspected GI infections?
Blood tests - microscopy and culture
Stool tests - microscopy and culture
What is the most common causative organism of traveller’s diarrhoea?
E.coli
What is the diagnostic features of traveller’s diarrhoea?
3+ unformed stools per day with one of symptoms as well. Withink two weeks of arrivak in a new country.
What symptoms does Vibrio cholera infection give?
Very watery diarrhoea - up to 20l a day
Vomiting
How does Vibrio cholera cause diarrhoea?
Produces the cholera toxin - causes chloride to be transported into the lumen - water follows - severe watery diarrhoea.
What is a mechanism of clostridium difficile infection?
It is a normal gut flora in 5% of population - gut flora is altered by broad spectrum antibiotics - C. diff can grow uninhibited - then releases toxins that cause pain and fever.
What antibiotics can cause the overgrowth of C diff?
Clindamycin
Cephalosporins
Ampicillin
Amoxicillin
What antibiotics can treat C diff infection?
Metronidazole or oral vancomycin.
What are the basic treatments for diarrhoea?
Give fluids to avoid dehydration
If severe - give anti-emetics
If systemically unwell - give antibiotics
What infection can cause peptic ulcer disease?
Helicobacter pylori
What are intraluminal causes of GI obstruction?
Tumour
Strictures
Gallstone ileus
Meconium ileus
What are intramural causes of GI obstruction?
Inflammatory - Crohn’s or UC
Diverticular disease
Intramural tumours