Infections and Immunity Flashcards
In paediatrics, what is pyrexia?
A temperature of 38 degrees celsius
In infants of under 3 months, a fever of what is a red flag feature?
38 degrees
In children 3-6 months old, a fever of over what is an amber flag feature?
39 degrees
What is the recommended method of taking a temperature in babies/children?
A thermometer probe in the axilla/tympanic
severe hypothermia need to know a core temperature - indicates for a rectal thermometer
Why does fever matter? (5)
- May indicate a severe infective cause
- Fever is the body’s way of trying to reduce pathogens
- Febrile convulsions
- Dehydration
- Rigors
What % of children attending hospital have a fever?
20% - very few have sepsis
What is a febrile convulsion?
- A febrile convulsion is caused by a rapid rise in temperature, usually at the beginning of an infection
- Unconscious
- Generalised tonic clonic seizure
- In children 6 months to 6 years
- beyond 6 years this is not often seen - Sleepy afterwards (post-ictal)
- Typical or atypical
What % of children have febrile convulsions?
2-5%
What is a rigor?
- Conscious levels are not affected with rigors - they should remain alert
- Shivering vigorously due to hot core temperature
- Any age
- Not usually sleepy afterwards
- May go blue around lips, hands, legs
What duration of febrile convulsion is classed as typical as opposed to atypical?
Up to 15 minutes is typical
What other features of febrile convulsions are classed as atypical? (3)
- Duration >15 minutes
- More than one in the same illness
- Focal signs or symptoms (e.g. right sided fit, or abnormal neurology on examination - residual weakness, Todd’s paralysis)
Why is it important to determine in febrile convulsions are typical or atypical?
Atypical febrile convulsions indicate a higher risk of epilepsy
What is the risk for developing epilepsy in the normal population?
1%
What are the risk factors for developing epilepsy? (3)
- Atypical febrile seizures
- Abnormal neurology/neurodevelopment prior to event
- Family history of 1st degree relative with epilepsy
What is the % risk of epilepsy in someone with two or more risk factors?
10%
What is the % risk of having another simple febrile convulsion after experiencing one?
30%
What/which antipyretics work?
Stay hydrated, paracetamol/ibuprofen, cool room
Sponge/cool cloth, wrapping up warm, ice baths do not work
What are the NICE guidelines for children with pyrexia with no symptoms?
They do not need paracetamol/ibuprofen
If the child has a fever with symptoms, what can be given?
Calpol/nurofen
Do paracetamol/ibuprofen work in children with febrile convulsions?
There is no evidence to suggest they work in febrile convulsions
What are the causes of fever in children? (13 - think systems)
- Viral URTI
- LRTI/pneumonia (viral or bacterial)
- Otitis media
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Tonsilitis
- Chicken pox
- Appendicitis
- UTIs
- Osteomyelitis
- Unknown - PUO
- Meningitis
- Kawasaki’s
- Others - malignancy, rheumatological
What signs/symptoms/observations are worrying in a child with fever? How may they look unwell? (15)
- Pale/mottled/ashen/blue
- No response to social cues
- Appears ill
- Does not wake
- Weak, high-pitched or continuous cry
- Grunting
- Recessions
- Reduced skin turgor
- Temp >38 if 0-2 months
- Non-blanching rash
- Neck stiffness
- Bonding fontanelle (up until 12 months)
- Focal seizures
- Status epilepticus
- Tachypnoea
What is Kawasaki’s disease/how is it diagnosed?
Fever - at least 5 days in duration
In the presence of 4 of:
1. Changes in extremities (desquamation (peeling of the skin), erythema, oedema)
2. Bilateral conjunctivitis (non purulent)
3. Rash
4. Cervical lympadenopathy
5. Changes in lips/oropharynx/cracked lips/strawberry tongue
Why is it important not to miss Kawasaki’s?
It causes a vasculitis, with a risk of cardiac aneurysms
What is a differential diagnosis for Kawasaki’s?
Scarlett fever
What is the treatment for Kawasaki’s?
High dose aspirin
IV immunoglobulins
What are the causes of a non-blanching rash?
- Meningitis
2. Meningococcal septicaemia
What are the signs/symptoms of meningitis? (2)
- Photophobia
- Neck stiffness
(unlikely to have a rash)
What is the specific sign/symptoms that distinguishes meningitis from meningococcal septicaemia?
A rapidly spreading purpuric rash
may or may not also have meningitis
What is the treatment for meningitis/meningococcal septicaemia?
IM penicillin V
What causes a non-blanching rash? - what is it?
Blood under the skin - does not disappear when pressed and looks dark red/purple
What is the difference between a petechial spot and purpura?
The size is the difference; purpura is larger (2mm - 10mm) in size whereas petechiae is a pin prick size (up to 2mm)
What is ecchymosis?
Greater than 10mm in size
What are the other causes of purpura?
- Bleeding/clotting disorders -
TTP/ITP (thrombocytopenic purpura) - Henoch-Schönlein purpura (these children will otherwise be completely well, compared to meningococcal septicaemia)
A 3 week old baby girl with a temperature of 39 degrees, crying and irritable and feels hot. What is the immediate assessment?
The baby has a bulging fontanelle, a cap refill of 4 seconds, a heart rate of 180/min, a low blood pressure and is mottled. What are the differentials?
ABCDE
- Meningitis (infants are believed to have a less effective blood brain barrier, therefore infections are more likely to cause meningitis)
What septic screen should be done in a child with suspected meningitis?
- Clean catch urine sample
- CXR
- Blood cultures
- LP - if well enough to tolerate (contraindicated if multiple signs of raised ICP)
- Viral nose swabs
- Clotting - fear of sepsis/DIC
What is Kernig’s sign?
Flexion of the knee and then start extending - if it causes pain in the hamstring
What can a raised red cell count in CSF indicate?
A sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
What is brudinski’s sign?
Flex the neck and there will be flexion of the hip/knee
How do causes of meningitis differ between neonates and children?
The causes of meningitis in neonates are most commonly: 1. E.coli 2. Group B strep 3. Listeria The causes of meningitis in children are: 1. Viral 2. Meningococcal 3. Pneumococcal 4. TB (very rare)
What is the difference in treatment of bacterial meningitis between neonates and children in terms of NICE recommendations?
In older children with steroids - dexamethasone
What are the normal findings of neutrophils and lymphocytes in CSF results of neonates and babies >1 month old?
0 neutrophils for both
<5 in greater than 1 month old
<11 in neonates
What are the complications of untreated meningitis? (4)
- Cerebral palsy in <2 years
- Deafness
- Epilepsy
- Coning and death
What are the risk factors for sepsis in a birth history?
Prolonged labour
Prolonged pre-rupture of membranes
Maternal pyrexia
Group B strep
Who receives prophylaxis for a baby with meningitis/meningococcal septicaemia?
Any one who has kissed the baby / close contact
What are the differentials for a child with a fever and a rash? (9)
- Measles
- Rubella
- Scarlet fever
- Hand, foot and mouth disease
- Chicken pox
- Meningococcaemia
- Kawasaki’s
- Fifth disease
- Roseola
What are the differentials for a child with an acute fever? (9)
- URTI
- Tonsilitis
- Otitis media
- Nonspecific viral infections
- Pneumonia
- Meningitis
- UTIs
- Septic arthritis
- Non-infectious causes
What are the differentials for a fever with a swelling in the neck?
- Cervical adenitis
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Mumps
- Thyroiditis (often no fever)
- Mastoiditis
What are the three ‘C’s (symptoms) associated with measles?
Coryza
Conjunctivitis
Cough
What is the differential diagnosis with suspected tonsillitis?
Infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)
How does glandular fever present?
- Marked cervical lymphadenopathy
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Enlarged purulent tonsils
- Macular rash in 10-20% of cases
- Splenomegaly can be commonly found
How is glandular fever investigated?
- FBC with differential white cell count - if the FBC has more than 20% atypical or reactive lymphocytes
- Monospot test (in the second week of the illness)
How is glandular fever different to tonsillitis in terms of the sore throat?
Glandular fever is usually more severe, lasting longer and up to 60% will have palatal petechiae, with a ‘whitewash’ exudate on the tonsils
How are children under the age of 12 investigated for glandular fever?
Instead of the FBC look at the white cell count, arrange blood tests for Epstein-Barr viral serology after the child has been ill for at least 7 days
In addition to a FBC, serology and Monospot test, what other blood test can be performed in suspected glandular fever and will show elevations 2-3 times the upper limit of normal?
LFTs - aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) will be elevated
What type of lymphadenopathy is most common in glandular fever?
Posterior cervical lymphadenopathy
What is the management for glandular fever?
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen
- Limit spread of the disease: avoid kissing, sharing eating or drinking utensils
- Avoid contact sports/heavy lifting to reduce the risk of splenic rupture
Which immunisations are given at 8 weeks old? (4 - but 1 of those covers 6 infections)
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) and hep B
- Pneumococcal
- Meningococcal group B
- Rotavirus gastroenteritis
What is the name of the vaccines given at 8 weeks old? (4)
- Infranix hexa (6 infections covered - DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB
- Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal)
- Bexsero (MenB)
- Rotarix (Rotavirus)
Where are the 8 week old immunisations given- which site? (4)
- Diphtheria, tetanus, polio etc - thigh
- Pneumococcal - thigh
- MenB - left thigh
- Rotavirus - by mouth
At 12 weeks old, which two immunisations are given?
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hep B
- Rotavirus
(both same name, same site)
At 16 weeks old, which three immunisations are given?
- Diphtheria, polio, tetanus, pertissus, Hib, hep B
- Pneumococcal
- MenB
Which immunisation is given in the left thigh (trade name too)?
Meningococcal group B - Bexsero
At 12 months old or just after their first birthday, which immunisations are given? (4)
- Hib and MenC
- Pneumococcal
- MMR
- Men B
What is the trade name for MMR and where is the site of administration?
Priorix - upper arm or thigh
At three years, four months old, which immunisations are given? (2)
- Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio
2. MMR
In girls aged 12 to 13 years, which immunisation is given?
HPV vaccine known as Gardasil
At 14 years old, which immunisations are given? (2)
- Diphtheria, tetanus and polio
2. Meningococcal disease
In babies born with parents or grandparents from a country of high incidence of TB, which immunisation is given?
BCG
What is meningitis?
A condition caused by inflammation of the meninges (the outer membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
How is meningitis different to encephalitis?
Encephalitis is the inflammation of the brain tissues itself
What does meningococcal disease refer to?
This term refers to either meningococcal meningitis or meningococcal septicaemia
What are the top 3 common causes of bacterial meningitis in children aged 3 months and over, and adults too?
- Neisseria meningitidis
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB)
(NHS)
In neonates, what are the most common causative organisms of meningitis? (4)
- Streptococcus agalactiae
- E.coli
- Strep. pneumoniae
- Listeria monocytogenes
What are the clinical features of meningococcal septicaemia?
There is often a short coryza prodrome, followed by fever, malaise, and the development of a purpuric rash/petechial lesions.
What are the signs that are specific to meningitis but not meningococcal septicaemia? (6)
- Photophobia
- Kernig’s sign
- Brudzinski’s sign
- Paresis
- Seizures
- Focal neurological deficit including cranial nerve involvement and abnormal pupils
What is Kernig’s sign?
Severe stiffness of the hamstrings - when the hip is flexed at 90 degrees, the leg cannot straight