Infection Flashcards
what is infection prevention?
Infection prevention and control (IPC) prevents patients and health workers from being harmed by avoidable infection and as a result of antimicrobial resistance.
Infection prevention also includes vaccination against preventable diseases and antibiotic prophylaxis for surgical procedures and recurrent infections
what are the 3 things neccessary for infections to spread?
Source: Places where micro-organisms live (e.g., sinks, surfaces, human skin)
Susceptible Person with a way for micro-organisms to enter the body
Transmission: a way microorganism are moved to the susceptible person
what are the 2 tiers of reccommended precautions to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings?
Standard Precautions are used for all patient care. They protect healthcare providers from infection and prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient
Transmission-Based Precautions are the second tier of basic infection control and are to be used in addition to Standard Precautions for patients who may be infected or colonized with certain infectious agents. The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) recommended will be dependent on the mode of transmission
healthcare associated infections?
Healthcare associated infection (HCAI) is defined as any infection acquired in relation to the delivery of healthcare in its widest sense. This includes care in hospitals and in the community via General Practitioners and health centres
clostridium difficile
Bacteria that causes infection when the guts normal flora is disrupted or if immunocompromised
Prior treatment with antibiotics (especially broad-spectrum) is one of the main risk factors for C.difficile infection
Produce toxins that damage the lining of the colon
Symptoms range from mild, self‑limiting diarrhoea to perforation of the colon, sepsis and death
Infection can commonly reoccur in patients
Can be spread between patients on hospital wards via contact transmission from infected faeces
Spores survive in the environment for a long time
Spores are not killed by alcohol gel, hands must be washed with soap and water
screening for resistant organisms?
High-risk patients are screened for resistant organisms when they are admitted into hospital or before any operation
This is to ensure that any patient colonised with a resistant organism is managed with appropriate infection control measures to avoid passing the resistant organisms to other patients
Antibiotic therapy may also need to be adjusted to ensure that treatment given cover this additional resistance
Patients can be screened for:
MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections)
Nose, throat, groin + any wounds
GRE (Glycopeptide resistant enterococci)
Rectal swab
CPO (Carbapenemase-producing organisms)
Rectal swab
pneumococcal vaccinations?
Pneumococcal vaccines protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae a
pathogen which can cause severe infections like meningitis, sepsis and
pneumonia
* The vaccine is now given as part of routine childhood immunisations
* Additional doses are recommended for all patients over the age of 65 and in
the “at risk groups” detailed in the green book
* The vaccination programme has been highly successful in reducing the
frequency of invasive pneumococcal infections caused by strains covered by
the vaccine including near elimination of some strains
causes of resisitance?
over prescribing of antibiotics
patient non compliance
poor quality of antibiotics
use of antibiotics in domestic animals
poor hygeine and sanitation
lack of new antibiotics being developed
consequences of antimicrobial resistance at patient level
delay in appropriate antibiotic therapy
increased hospital length of stay
alternative antibiotics need to be used
what is antimicrobial stewardiship?
An organisational or
healthcare-system-wide
approach to promoting and
monitoring judicious use of
antimicrobials to preserve
their future effectiveness
what is prudent prescribing?
Prudent prescribing is not to
prescribe as few antibiotics as
possible but to identify that small
group of patients who really need
antibiotic treatment and then
explain, reassure and educate the
large group of patients who don’t
evedience gathering of bacterial infection
- drug allergy history
antibiotic treatment
local antimicrobial prescribing guidance
clinical indication
cultures
empirical antibiotics
When is empirical treatment indicated?
* When pathogen and/or antibiotic sensitivities are uncertain (best guess)
* What two main factors determine how effective empirical treatment will be?
* Local pathogen epidemiology data
* Local antibiotic sensitivity data
* How should empirical therapy evolve when following best practice?
* Streamline to narrow-spectrum antibiotic when sensitivities are available
narrow spectrum antibiotics
more specific and are only active against certain groups or strains of bacteria
broad spectrum antibiotics
inhibit a wider
range of bacteria and are
more likely to drive
resistance and have
increased likely hood of
causing C.difficile infection
antibiotic classes
access, Watch and Reserve,
taking into account the impact of different antibiotics and antibiotic classes
on antimicrobial resistance, to emphasize the importance of their
appropriate use.
access antibiotics
First or second choice
antibiotics
offer the best
therapeutic value, while
minimizing the
potential for resistance
watch antibiotics
First or second choice
antibiotics only
indicated for specific,
limited number of
infective syndromes
More prone to be a
target of antibiotic
resistance and therefore
prioritised as targets of
stewardship programs
and monitoring
reserve antibiotics
Highly selected patients
(life-threatening
infections due to multi-
drug resistant bacteria)
Closely monitored and
prioritised as targets of
stewardship programs
to ensure their
continued effectiveness
infection
Invasion of the body or a body part by a pathogenic organism, which multiplies and
produces harmful effects on the body’s tissues
colonisation
the presence and multiplication of microorganisms without tissue invasion or damage
carriage
the condition of harbouring a pathogen within the body e.g. nasal carriage of MRSA
benefits of iv to Po switch
Remove lines quicker – reduce risk of line related infections and phlebitis /
thrombophlebitis
* Reduced nursing work load
* increased patient satisfaction and comfort
* Facilitate earlier discharge
* Decreased costs
* Most sustainable – less plastic needed
* Narrow spectrum agents – reduce AMR and other consequence of broad
spectrum agents such as C.difficile
Why is there so much inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics?
lack of awareness
time constraints
decision fatigue
uncertain diagnosis
assuming that other prescribers are the problem
patient satisfaction and pressure
agent
A substance, living or non-living, or a force, the excessive
presence or relative lack of which may initiate a disease process
infection
Entry and development or multiplication of an infectious
agent in the body of human or animals
transmission of infection
Spread of infectious agent through the
environment to another person from the reservoir and source
3 major ways pathogens can be transported
- Transmission between humans
- Via environmental factors (such as soil or water)
- Between humans and animals (via vectors)
zoonoses
Zoonoses are infectious diseases where
the pathogen is transmitted from an
infected animal to a human (in these
cases the animals are the reservoirs)
vector borne trnsmission
where part of
the life cycle of the pathogen takes places
in the human host, however, part of the life
cycle must take place in another species
which is known as the vector
broad spectrum antibiotics
target both gram positive and negative
infection pathogenesis : listeria monocytogenes
- colonisation
- invasion
- proliferation
- dissemination
pathophysiology
study of the underlying mechanisms by which diseases occur and develop
3 systemic effects of infection
fever
sepsis
organ dysfunction
host defense against infections
innate immune responses
adaptive immune responses
primary function of lymphocytes
b= generates diverse activity
t= secretes chemical messengers
plasma cell= secretes antibodies
nk= destroys virally infected cells
pneumonia
Inflammation of the lungs caused by a bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and can become solid
1) Community acquired pneumonia (CAP)
2) Hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP)
3) Aspiration pneumonia
oral antibiotics (amoxicillin)
Rescue packs are often made up of:
* Antibiotic: Doxycycline 200mg stat, then 100mg OD (5 – 7 days)
* Oral steroid: Prednisolone 30mg OD (5 – 7 days)
prophylactic antibiotics
Before offering prophylactic antibiotics;
* Ensure patients have had sputum cultures and sensitives completed rule out other causes (E.g. TB)
* Ensure patients have had training in airway clearance to ensure sputum is being adequately cleared
* Ensure patient have CT scan to rule out other pathologies (e.g. lung cancer)
* Consider getting advise from respiratory specialists
selective toxicity
ability of drug to kill or inhibit pathogen while damaging host as little as possible
broad spectrum drugs
target and inhibit many kinds of bacteria
narrow sectrum drugs
effective only against a limited variety of bacteria
bacteriostatic
Prevent bacterial
growth (no killing)
* Reversible effect
* Bacterial clearance
depends on the
immune system
>4
bactericidal
kill the target bacteria
irreversible effect
appropriate in poor immunity
<4
minimal inhibitory concentration
lowest concentration of drug that
prevents the visible growth of the pathogen
* It varies against different bacterial species (spectrum of activity)
* Indicator for assessing bacterial drug resistance
minimal bacterial concentration
lowest concentration of drug that kills the patogen
antimicrobial activity can be measured by…
dilution susceptibility
disk diffusion
the Etest
dilution susceptibility tests
Used to determine MIC and MBC values.
* Inoculating media with different concentrations
of a drug and fixed number of bacteria.
* Broth or agar with lowest concentration
showing no growth is MIC.
* Liquid media from tubes that showed no
growth are then cultured into agar plates
* The lowest antibiotic concentration from the
tubes that fails to support the microbe’s
growth is the MBC
disk diffusion test
used to determine susceptibility or resistance
* Measurement of the clear zones diameter
(no growth) around disks compared to a
standardized chart, determining
susceptibility or resistance
* Diameter correlates with MIC (empirically)
Wider clear zone indicates that a microbe
is more susceptible to that antibiotic.
Narrower clear zone indicates drug
resistance
the Etest
- Bacterial is inoculated on agar,
then Etest® strips are placed on
the surface. - Etest® strips contain a gradient of
an antibiotic. - Intersection of elliptical zone of
inhibition with strip indicates MIC
17 - Sirirat/Shutterstock
most common causative organisms
streptococcous pneumoniae
influenza viruses
CURB-65
confusion
urea over 7
respiratory rate over 30
blood pressure less than 90/60
age more than 65
0-1 is low= amoxicillin 500mg TDS (5 days)
2 is moderate= amoxicillin + clarithromycin
3= high= co-amoxiclav
hap
hospital cquired pneumonia
non-severe= co-amoxiclav 625mg TDS
severe= tazocin 4.5g TDS
sepsis
syndrome defined as life threatening organ dysfunction due to dyregulared host response
coagulopathy
DIC formation of microemboli and haemorrhage= loss of peripheral digits or limbs
sepsis treatment
give high flow oxygen
take blood cultures
give iv antibiotics
give iv fluids
measure lactate
meaure urine output
WITHIN FIRST HOUR
start smart then focus
give broad antibiotic–> give narrow agent
48-72 hours of iv antibiotic–> review
antibiotic choice
source of infection
patient characteristics
antimicrobial resistance
immunisation status
local guidlines
sepsis unkown source
> 20 no penicillin allergy= amoxixillin and gentamycin
20 penicillin allergy= levofloxacin and gentamycin
<20 no peniccilin allergy= tazocin and clarithromycin
<20 peniccilin allergy= meropenem
<20 severe penicillin allergy= vancomycin
gentamycin
dependant on weight
ototoxicity
nephrotoxicity
narrow therapeutic index
dangerous side effect profile
check renal function twice a day (<20-30ml= change)
short course
report any hearing problems
metronidazole
peripheral neuropathy
blood dyscrasis
avoid sun (topical)
avoid alc (oral/iv) (OSCE)
vancomycin
loading dose–> body weight
mainatnenece ose–> renal function
ototoxicity
nephrocity
infusion related reactions
narrow therapeutic index
must be given slowly over hours
monitor twice weekly
sepsis chest source
<48 hours = community acquired pneumonia
non pen = co amoxiclav and clarithrimycin
pen all= levofloxacin
> 48 hours= hospital acquired pneumonia
non pen=tazocin
pen all= meropenem
severe pen all= levoflaxin
sepsis abdominal
> 20 no pen = amoxicillin
20 pen all= gentamycin
<20 no pen= tazocin
<20 pen all= meropenem
<20 severe pen=teiclopleinin
teicoplanin
loading= weight
maintan= weight+ renal function
blood dyscraesias
nephrocitoxicity
therapeutic drug leves
sepsis urine
> 20 = gentamycin
<20 no pen= tazocin
<20 pen all= meropenem
<20 sev pen all+ ciproflaxacin
bacterial meningitis
an infection of the surface of the brain by bacteria leading to inflammation. the infecting bacteria have usually travelled there from anither mucosal surface via the oatients blood stream
meningitis risk factors
chemo therapy
winter months
incomplete vaccines
smokers
chronic patients
infection
living in crownde hoiseholds
age
complications of meningitis
death
stroke
neurologiccal complications
physical complications
meningitis symptoms
fever
nausea
lethargy
irritability
refuse food/ drink
headache
muscle pain
chills shivering
no blanching rash
stiff nec
cold hands
unusual skin colour
hyptension
back rigidity
meningistis diagnosis
drug history
patient history
physical exam
lumbar punture
CT scan of head
blood tests
identify risk factors
meningitis treatment
over 60
no pen= ceftrixaone
pen all= chlorampheicol
pen resistance= vancomycin
viral = aciclovir
under 60
no pen= ceftrixone
pen all= chloramphenicol
pen resis= vancomycin
viral = aciclovir
bacteria are .. cells
prokaryotic
without a nucleus
without membrane bound organelles
antimicrobial chemotherapy
drugs to treat infectious diseases, having selctive toxicity against the pathogens involved, while damaf]ging the host as little as possible
selective toxicity
ability to kill or inhibit pathogen while damaging host as little as possible
bacteriostatic
inhibit growth
bactericidal
kill the bacteria
measuring effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs
minimal inhibitory concentration (lowest concentration of drug that prevents the visible growth of the pathogen)
minimal bactericidal concentration (lowest concentration of drug that kills the pathogen)
MBC/MIC >4
bacteriostatic
MBC/MIC <4
bacteriocidal
antimicrobial activity tests
dilution suceptibility test
disk diffusion tests
the etest
gram positive
thick peptidoglycan
gram negative
thin peptidoglycan
peptidoglycan formation
bacterial transpeptidase form peptide cross-link bridges between tetrapeptide of NAMs of peptidoglycan strands
beta lactam bind to and block transpeptidases which block new cell wall formation and bacterial lysis
inhibitors of cell wall synthesis
b lactam antibiotics
cephalosporins
glycopeptide
carbapenems and monobactams
b lactam antibiotics
block formation of peptide bridges
bactericidal effect and high therapeutic index
subclasses= penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenams, monobactams
natural penicillins
penicillin G and V
narrow spectrum
very low resistance to b lactamase
semisynthetic penicillins
antistaphyloccocal pen (narrow,flucloxallin)
aminopenicillins (broad ,ampicillin, amoxicillin(gram neg)(co-administered))
antipseudomonal pen (extended broad, piperacillin, combination)
penicillin adverse effects
rash
anaphylaxis
death
croos reactivity (avoid beta lacatams)
GI distress
CNS toxicty
contraindications= hypersensitivity
penicillin resistance
cephalosporins
structurally and functionally similar to penicillins
beta lactam ring
bactericidal
early(cefalexin) = gram +
late (cefotaxime)= gram -
5th gen (ceftaroline)= both
cepholasporin side effects
all to pen
react with alcohol
nephrotoxicity
disturb gut flora
carbapenems and monobactams
beta lacatms
same mechanisms of penicillin
broad spectrum
glycopeptide
not beta lactam antibiotics
vancmycin is a glycopeptide
inhibit cell wall synthesis
binds to terminal amino acids linked to NAM of peptidoglycan
prevents the transpeptdation without targeting the enzyme
only effective against gram +