Infections

Question 1

Most common presenting features of malaria

Answer 1

• Fever
• Malaise
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

Question 2

Stain for acid-fast bacilli

Answer 2

Ziehl-Nielson

Question 3

Paul-Bunnell test

Answer 3

Infectious mononucleosis

Question 4

Drug used in treatment of falciparum malaria

Answer 4

Quinine (oral or IV)

Question 5

Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus

Answer 5

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)

Question 6

Mycoplasma pneumonia

Answer 6

• Epidemics every 3 to 4 years
• Headache, arthralgia, myalgia
• Patchy consolidation on CXR, clinical features may not correlate with x-ray findings

Question 7

Typhoid is caused by which bacteria?

Answer 7

Salmonella typhi

Question 8

Key symptoms of typhoid:

Answer 8

• Gradual onset fever, headache, malaise and constipation or diarrhoea
• May develop a maculopapular rash over the trunk –> “rose spots”

Question 9

Most common cause of travellers’ diarrhoea

Answer 9

Enterotoxigenic E. coli

Question 10

Virus responsible for outbreaks of childhood diarrhoea

Answer 10

Rotavirus

Question 11

Major infective causes of bloody diarrhoea

Answer 11

• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Campylobacter
• E. coli

Question 12

Treatment shown to reduce hearing loss and other neurological sequelae in patients with bacterial meningitis

Answer 12

Corticosteroids (e.g. dexamethasone)

Question 13

Coagulase-positive Staphylococci

Answer 13

Staphylococcus aureus (however some strains may be atypical and not produce coagulase)

Coagulase is an enzyme that facilitates the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, causing blood to clot

Question 14

Coagulase-negative Staphylococci

Answer 14

• Frequent constituent of normal skin flora

- Can cause infection, especially in patients with prosthetic devices or intravascular catheters

Question 15

Gram-positive bacterial species that causes listeriosis

Answer 15

Listeria monocytogenes

Question 16

Infection associated with a “strawberry cervix”

Answer 16

Trichomonas vaginalis

Question 17

Trichomoniasis

Answer 17

• STI caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis
• Common cause of vaginitis
• “Strawberry cervix”
• Treat with metronidazole

Question 18

Lymphogranuloma venereum

Answer 18

• STI, common in patients infected with HIV

- Infection of the lymphatics/lymph nodes by Chlamydia trachomatis

Question 19

Uncomplicated shingles treatment

Answer 19

Oral acyclovir

Question 20

Treatment of infection with HSV type 1 or 2

Answer 20

Oral acyclovir (if immunocompromised use high-dose IV acyclovir)

Question 21

Dysuria with lots of yellow-coloured penile discharge

Answer 21

Gonorrhoea

Question 22

Painless hard ulcer on penis

Answer 22

Chancre of primary syphilis

Question 23

Causative organism in syphilis

Answer 23

Treponema pallidum

Question 24

Treatment of primary syphilis

Answer 24

Procaine penicillin

Question 25

Chancroid

Answer 25

• STI characterised by the formation of soft, painful genital ulcers
• Caused by Haemophilus ducreyi