Infections Of The Skin and respiratory tract Flashcards
What are the features of cellulitis?
Redness
Swelling exudate
What is the most common bacterial cause of cellulitis?
S. Aureus.
What is the presumptive choice of antibiotic treatment of cellulitis?
Flucloxacillin
How is erysipelas different to cellulitis?
Redness is usually on face or legs in areas of prior ulceration, abrasion or lymphatic damage. Lesion has a distinct raised edge.
What is the most common bacterial cause of erysipelas?
S.pyogenes.
What is the antibiotic of choice for erysipelas?
Penicillin
What is impetigo?
Painless confluent vesicles that progress to dried out yellow crusts.
What is the most common bacterial cause of impetigo?
S. Pyogenes.
What abx is used for impetigo?
Oral or Im penicillin.
What causes shingles?
A reactivation or varicella zoster virus.
What is the treatment for shingles?
Disease is usually self limiting.
Symptomatic relief is difficult as pain is neural in origin.
What is gas gangrene?
An infection that involves the muscles and adjacent soft tissues.
What causes gas gangrene?
C. Perfringens.
What is the management for gas gangrene?
Surgical resection of necrotic tissues
IV penicillin
Oxygen
What is necrotizing fasciitis?
An infection of the subcutaneous soft tissues involving superficial and deep fascia.
What is the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis?
S. Pyogenes. Infection spreads along soft tissue planes.overlying skin breaks down.
What is the treatment for necrotizing fasciitis?
A combination of ampicillin, gentamicin and metronidazole given IV. Surgical exposure of affected fascial planes.
What are the most common causes of pharyngitis?
Respiratory viruses: rhinovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, influenza, EBV
What is the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis?
S.pyogenes.
Rarer: Neisseria gonorrhoea, M.Pneumoniae, C. Diptheriae.
What antibiotic is commonly used to treat streptococcal pharyngitis?
What is the aim of treatment?
Oral penicillin or erythromycin.
Aim of treatment is to reduce risk of complications eg rheumatic fever, scarlet fever.
Which viruses commonly cause the flu?
Influenza groups A-C
What are the main symptoms of influenza infection?
Fever, lethargy, myalgia, common cold like symptoms.
What kind of virus is influenza?
An RNA virus
Which major surface antigens are found on influenza?
Haemagluttinin and neuraminidase.