Infections of the GI tract Flashcards
What is the difference between microbiome and microbiotia?
Microbiome: all the genome within the gut environment
Microbiota: all the organisms within the gut environment
What are the functions of the gut microbiota?
- pathogen inhibition
- immune protection
- nutrient metabolism - synthesis vit B + K
- Drug metabolsim
- Gut brain axis
What approach would you take on investigating the symtpoms of a patient with a suspected GI infection?
- Is there diarrhoea? - onset, duration, frequency, consistency
- Is there mucus/ blood in stools?
- Is there vomiting? - onset, frequency
- Is there pain? - site, radiation, intermittent, continuous
What Past medical history would be useful to know in a suspected GI infection?
- History of immunocompromise / immuodeficiency
- Any other GI conditions
What are some important social questions to ask if someone presents with a suscpected GI infection?
- Recent travel history? - where, when and how long, what they did whilst they were there
- Drug history - recent antibiotics? proton pump inhibitors? laxatives? immunsuppressants?
- Social History - occupation
What things can you look for on GI examination that can help establish if there is a GI infetion?
Volume status: Check mucous membranes, BP, pulse, JVP
Abdominal exam: ileus, peritontitis
What investigations can be done on a stool sample to help identify GI infection?
- Stool culture
- Enzyme immunoassay
- PCR
- Microscopy
Impossible to do all, need to know what sample you’re looking for
What infectious causes can cause watery diarrhoea?
- Norovirus
- Rotavirus
- C. difficile
- Enterotoxigenic E. Coli
- Giardia lamblia
- Cryptosporidium parvum
What infectious causes can cause inflammatory diarrhoea?
- Non- typhoidal salmonella
- Campylobater
- Clostridiodes difficile
- Shigella
- E. coli O157
- Entamoeba hysoltica
What are the 2 general subdivisions of salmonella infection?
Typhoidal salmonella which causes enteric fever (Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi)
Non-typhoidal salmonella whichc causes gastroenteriris (Salmonells enteritidis, Salmonella virchow)
What are some of the general features of non- typhoidal salmonella?
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal Cramps
How is non- typhoidal salmonella transmitted?
- In food
- Faeco- orally
- Animals
What are some of the complication sof non-typhoidal salmonella infection?
- Bacteraemia
- Endovascular infections
- Abscesses
- Osteomyeltitis
- Septic arthritis
How do you treat non-typhoidal salmonella?
usuall self limiting
If bateraemic: can use antibitoics, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, ceftriaxone
What are the most 2 common organisms of infection with camylobacter?
Camplyobacter jejuni
Camplyobacter coli
Gram -ve corkscrew like bacterium
What are some of the general features of a campylobacter infection?
- abdominal cramping
- diarrhoea
- may have fever and malaise