infections Flashcards
name 4 inactivated vaccines?
involves giving a killed version of the pathogen - cannot cause infection and safe in immunocomp
- Polio
- Flu
- Hepatitis A
- Rabies
name 7 subunit and conjugate vaccines
only contain parts of organism used to stimulate immune response - cannot cause infection and safe for immunocomp
- Pneumococcus
- Meningococcus
- Hepatitis B
- Pertussis
- Haemophilus influenza type B
- HPV
- Shingles
name 5 live attenuated vaccines?
weakened version of the pathogen - can cause infection esp in immunocomp
- MMR
- BCG
- Chickenpox
- Nasal influenza
- Rotavirus
give 2 examples of toxin vaccines
contain a toxin that is normally produced by the pathogen - cause immunity to the toxin and not the pathogen itself
diphtheria and tetanus
what vaccines are given at 8 weeks?
- 6 in 1 vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) and hepatitis B)
- Meningococcal type B
- Rotavirus (oral vaccine)
what vaccines are given at 12 weeks?
- 6 in 1 vaccine (again)
- Pneumococcal (13 different serotypes)
- Rotavirus (again)
what vaccines are given at 16 weeks?
- 6 in 1 vaccine (again)
- Meningococcal type B (again)
what vaccines are given at 1 year?
- 2 in 1 (haemophilus influenza type B and meningococcal type C)
- Pneumococcal (again)
- MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella)
- Meningococcal type B (again)
what vaccine is given yearly ages 2-8?
- Influenza vaccine (nasal vaccine)
what vaccines is given at 3 years and 4 months?
- 4 in 1 (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio)
- MMR vaccine (again)
what vaccine is given as 12-13 years?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (2 doses given 6 to 24 months apart)
what vaccine is given at 14 years?
- 3 in 1 (tetanus, diphtheria and polio)
- Meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y
what is the HPV vaccine and when is it given?
human papillomavirus
given to girls and boys before they become sexually active - prevent contraction and spread HPV once they become sexually active
Gardasil - protects against 6, 11, 16, 18 (6 and 11 genital warts & 16 and 18 cervical cancer)
what is the BCG vaccine?
for TB
offered from birth to babies who are at higher risk of TB - relatives from countries with high TB prevalence or who live in urban areas with high rate of TB. may also be given to children arriving from areas of high TB prevalence or in close contact with people that have TB
what is paediatric sepsis?
syndrome that occurs when an infection causes the child to become systemically unwell - result of a severe systemic inflammatory response
It is a life threatening condition and there should be a low threshold for treating suspected sepsis.
what is septic shock?
Septic shock is diagnosed when sepsis has lead to cardiovascular dysfunction. The arterial blood pressure falls, resulting in organ hypo-perfusion. This leads to a rise in blood lactate as the organs begin anaerobic respiration.
hypoperfusion of organs
how is septic shock managed?
aggressive IV fluids to improve BP and tissue perfusion
if IV fluid bolus fails to improve blood pressure and lactate level - children should be escalated to HDU/ITU where medications like inotropes can be used to stimulate cardiovascular system and improve BP and tissue perfusion
what are some signs of sepsis?
- Deranged physical observations
- Prolonged capillary refill time (CRT)
- Fever or hypothermia
- Deranged behaviour
- Poor feeding
- Inconsolable or high pitched crying
- High pitched or weak cry
- Reduced consciousness
- Reduced body tone (floppy)
- Skin colour changes (cyanosis, mottled pale or ashen)
what is the traffic light system for sepsis?
This categorises children as green (low risk), amber (intermediate risk) or red (high risk).
what needs to happen to children under 3 months with a temperature of 38 or above?
treated urgently for sepsis until proven otherwise
what is the immediate management of sepsis?
- Give oxygen if the patient has evidence of shock or oxygen saturations are below 94%
- Obtain IV access (cannulation)
- Blood tests, including a FBC, U&E, CRP, clotting screen (INR), blood gas for lactate and acidosis
- Blood cultures, ideally before giving antibiotics
- Urine dipstick and laboratory testing for culture and sensitivities
- Antibiotics according to local guidelines. They should be given within 1 hour of presentation.
- IV fluids. 20ml/kg IV bolus of normal saline if the lactate is above 2 mmol/L or there is shock. This may be repeated.
what further investigations can be done when investigating sepsis in children?
- Chest xray if pneumonia is suspected
- Abdominal and pelvic ultrasound if intra-abdominal infection is suspected
- Lumbar puncture if meningitis is suspected
- Meningococcal PCR blood test if meningococcal disease is suspected
- Serum cortisol if adrenal crisis is suspected
further management for sepsis regarding antibiotic use
Continue antibiotics for 5 – 7 days if a bacterial infection is suspected or confirmed.
Alter the antibiotic choice and duration once a source of infection is found and an organism is isolated.
Bacterial culture and sensitivities can be very helpful in guiding antibiotics. A microbiologist can provide advice on the choice and duration of antibiotics.
Consider stopping antibiotics where there is a low suspicion of bacterial infection, the patient is well and blood cultures and two CRP results are negative at 48 hours.
what is meningitis?
inflammation of meninges - lining of the brain and spinal cord. This inflammation is usually due to a bacterial or viral infection
what is meningococcal septicaemia?
Meningococcus bacterial infection in the bloodstream - causes non-blanching rash
rash indicates the infection has causes DIC and subcutaneous haemorrhages
what are the most common organisms causing bacterial meningitis in children and adults? and neonates?
children and adults = Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)
neonates - group B strep (GBS)
how does meningitis present?
in neonates?
- Fever
- Neck stiffness
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Photophobia
- Altered consciousness and seizures
- Septicaemia= non-blanching rash
neonates - can be very nonspecific - hypotonia, poor feeding, lethargy, hypothermia, bulging fontanelle
when does NICE recommend a lumbar puncture
- Under 1 month presenting with fever
- 1 to 3 months with fever and are unwell
- Under 1 year with unexplained fever and other features of serious illness
?CRP >10???
what are the 2 special tests you can perform to look for meningeal irritation?
Kernig’s test - lie pt on back and flex 1 hip and knee to 90 degrees and then slowly straighten knee whilst keeping hip flexed - meningitis = spinal pain or resistance to movement
Brudzinski’s test - lie pt flat on back, lift their head and neck off the bed and flex chin to chest - positive = pt involuntary flexes hip and knees
how is bacterial meningitis managed in the community?
seen by GP with suspected meningitis and non-blanching rash = urgent IM/IV benzylpenicillin prior to hospital transfer
(true pen allergy, transfer to hospital priority, not alternative abx)
how is bacterial meningitis managed in hospital?
- ideally LP for CSF before abx but when child unwell do not delay abx
- blood for meningococcal PCR if meningococcal disease suspected - tests directly for meningococcal DNA
- quicker result than blood culture
- low threshold for treating ?bacterial meningitis
-
abx - under 3 months = cefotaxime + amoxicillin (cover listeria contracted during pregnancy), >3 months - ceftriaxone
- pen resistant pneumococcal infection - vancomycin
-
steroids - reduce frequency and severity of hearing loss and neuro damage
- dexamethasone - 4 times daily for 4 days to children >3 months if lumbar puncture suggestive of bacterial meningitis
- notifiable disease
what is post exposure prophylaxis?
significant exposure to pt with meningococcal infection - particularly in 7 days prior to onset of illness
risk decreases 7 days after exposure
single dose of ciprofloxacin
what are some causes of viral meningitis and how is it diagnosed?
herpes simplex virus (HSV)
enterovirus
varicella zoster virus (VZV).
sample of the CSF from the lumbar puncture should be sent for viral PCR testing.
how is viral meningitis treated?
Aciclovir in suspected/confirmed HSV or VZV infection
supportive management
what is a lumbar puncture?
involves inserting a needle into the lower back to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The spinal cord ends at the L1 – L2 vertebral level, so the needle is usually inserted into the L3 – L4 intervertebral space
what are LP samples sent for?
bacterial culture
viral pcr
cell count
protein
glucose
also send blood glucose so can be compared to CSF
send sample immediately
what are LP results for bacterial and viral meningitis?
what are some complications of meningitis?
- Hearing loss is a key complication
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Cognitive impairment and learning disability
- Memory loss
- Cerebral palsy, with focal neurological deficits such as limb weakness or spasticity
what is encephalitis in children?
inflammation of the brain
can be result of infective or non-infective causes (autoimmune)
what is the most common cause of encephalitis?
viral
herpes simplex virus - HSV 1 in children, HSV 2 in neonates (from genital herpes)
other causes - varicella zoster virus
how does encephalitis present?
- Altered consciousness
- Altered cognition
- Unusual behaviour
- Acute onset of focal neurological symptoms
- Acute onset of focal seizures
- Fever
how is encephalitis diagnosed?
- Lumbar puncture, sending cerebrospinal fluid for viral PCR testing
- CT scan if a lumbar puncture is contraindicated
- MRI scan after the lumbar puncture to visualise the brain in detail
- EEG recording can be helpful in mild or ambiguous symptoms but is not always routinely required
- Swabs of other areas can help establish the causative organism, such as throat and vesicle swabs
- HIV testing is recommended in all patients with encephalitis
what are some contraindications for lumbar puncture?
GCS below
haemodynamically unstable
active seizures or post-ictal
how is encephalitis managed?
iv anti viral medications
- aciclovir - HSV, VZV
- ganciclovir - cytomegalovirus
- Repeat
how is encephalitis managed?
iv anti viral medications
- aciclovir - HSV, VZV
- ganciclovir - cytomegalovirus
- Repeat
how is encephalitis managed?
- iv anti viral medications
- aciclovir - HSV, VZV
- ganciclovir - cytomegalovirus
- Repeat LP to ensure successful tx prior to stopping antivirals
- aciclovir started empirically in suspected encephalitis until results available
- follow up, support and rehab required after encephalitis with help managing complications
what are some complications of encephalitis?
- Lasting fatigue and prolonged recovery
- Change in personality or mood
- Changes to memory and cognition
- Learning disability
- Headaches
- Chronic pain
- Movement disorders
- Sensory disturbance
- Seizures
- Hormonal imbalance
what is infections mononucleosis?
condition caused by infection with the Epstein Barr virus (EBV)
aka kissing disease, glandular fever, mono
virus found in saliva of infected individuals - spread by kissing or sharing cups, toothbrushes and other equipment that transmits saliva
can be infectious several weeks before illness begins and intermittently for the remainder of the patients life
what are some features of infectious mononucleosis
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes)
- Tonsillar enlargement
- Splenomegaly and in rare cases splenic rupture
what are heterophile antibodies in infectious mononucleosis?
infectious mononucleosis - body produces something called heterophile antibodies, which are antibodies that are more multipurpose and not specific to the EBV antigens. It takes up to 6 weeks for these antibodies to be produced.
can test for them with monospot test - introduces the patient’s blood to red blood cells from horses. Heterophile antibodies (if present) will react to the horse red blood cells and give a positive result.
paul-bunnell test - similar to monospot test but rbc from sheep
are almost 100% specific for infectious mononucleosis but not everyone with IM produces heterophile antibodies
what specific antibodies can be tested for in infectious mononucleosis?
specific EBV antibodies
target viral capsid antigen
IgM antibody - rises early and suggests acute infection
IgG antibody - persists after condition and suggests immunity
what is the management of infectious mononucleosis?
self limiting
acute illness usually lasts 2-3 weeks
can leave pt with fatigue for several months once infection is cleared
advised to avoid alcohol and EBV impacts ability of liver to process alcohol
and advised to avoid contact sports due to risk of splenic rupture
what are some complications of infectious mononucleosis?
- Splenic rupture
- Glomerulonephritis
- Haemolytic anaemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Chronic fatigue
EBV infection is associated with certain cancers, notable Burkitt’s lymphoma.
what is mumps?
viral infections spread by respiratory droplets
incubation period = 14-25 days
self limiting - lasts around 1 week
what must you ask when suspecting mumps?
vacine hx
MMR 80% protection against mumps