infection facts Flashcards
What to do when someone has sepsis of unknown origin
Take cultures to identify what’s causing the infection (to choose correct abx)
Sensitivity for the patient
Why are narrow spectrum preferred over broad spectrum
Reduce likelihood of resistance
Fewer side effects
First line for CDIFF
Oral vancomycin
Second line for CDIFF treatment
Oral fidaxomicin
Life threatening CDIFF treatment
IV metronidazole and oral vancomycin
when would broad spectrum be preferred over narrow
Unknown organism causing the infection/sepsis
Which class is gentamicin
Aminoglycosides
Other examples: Amikacin, Gentamicin, Neomycin, Streptomycin, Tobramycin
How do amino glycosides work
Only one gram positive (S.Auerues and MRSA)
Good activity against gram negative organisms
MOA: Irreversibly bind to the bacterial ribosome which is responsible for translating the genetic code into proteins.
Aminoglycosides indications
✅ Severe Gram-negative infections (e.g., sepsis, pneumonia, UTIs caused by Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, E. coli)
✅ Endocarditis (often combined with beta-lactams for synergy)
✅ Tuberculosis (TB) (e.g., streptomycin, amikacin for drug-resistant TB)
✅ Complicated intra-abdominal infections (often with metronidazole)
✅ Neutropenic sepsis (in immunocompromised patients)
✅ Cystic fibrosis (e.g., tobramycin inhalation for Pseudomonas infections)
HAP (Pseudomonas)
MENINGITIS
Side effects of Gentamicin
Ototoxicity (irreversible)
Nephrotoxicity (reversible)
Peripheral neuropathy
Electrolyte disturbances
Glycopeptides examples
Vancomycin
Teicoplanin
Telvancin
Dalbavancin
Oritavancin
Glycopeptides how do they work and against which bacteria
Inhbit cell wall synthesis and work against only gram positive also covers MRSA
Glycopeptides indications
✅ Severe Gram-positive infections, especially MRSA
✅ Complicated skin & soft tissue infections (e.g., cellulitis, abscesses)
✅ Endocarditis (e.g., MRSA, enterococcal infections)
✅ Pneumonia (e.g., hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) caused by MRSA)
✅ Bone & joint infections (e.g., osteomyelitis, septic arthritis)
✅ Meningitis (when penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae is suspected)
✅ C. difficile infection (Vancomycin oral, 1st-line for severe cases)
✅ Peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients
Vancomycin Side effects
Nephrotoxicity
Ototoxicty
Vancomycin infusion reaction (occurs due the dose being given too quickly) - red man syndrome
Blood disorders - thrombocytopenia, neutropenia
