Infectious Disease Flashcards by Kat Qiao

What are some general symptoms of infectious disease?

Fever
Shivers
Cough
Rash
Diarrhoea
Urinary symptoms

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Why might someone with a fever have a headache?

Pyrexia causes vasodilation, therefore causing a headache

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What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis?

Headache

Fever

Photophobia

Neck stiffness

Non-blanching rash

Nausea and vomiting

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What is the most common organism causing meningitis?

Neiserria meningitidis

Meningococcus

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What is the difference in onset between viral and bacterial meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis has a rapid onset (few hours)

Viral meningitis has a gradual onset (few days), with a sore throat which progresses to a headache

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What are the investigations for meningitis?

LP with CSF microscopy, MC + S (CT head if ICP is suspected

MC + S for septicemia

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What drugs can be given to treat meningitis?

Community - Benzylpenicillin

Each hospital has its own guidelines but common ones include ceftriaxone, cefotaxmine

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What are the important follow up questions if a patient says that they have diarrhoea?

Stool frequency

Consistency - Mucous, Blood

Floating?

Colour

Abdo pain

Vomiting

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What are some clues that gastroenteritis may be caused by salmonella?

Lasts up to 8 hours

Vomiting and diarrhoea

Uncooked eggs

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What are some clues that gastroenteritis may be caused by campylobacter?

Lasts up to 7 days

Crampy abdominal pain

Blood in stools

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For which infection is night sweats a red flag?

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What are the different types of malaria?

Plasmodium flaciparum (most common)
Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium malariae

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How do you diagnose malaria?

History (fever every 2-3 days, travel)

Thick blood film

Malarial subtyping by thin blood film

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What are some viral haemorrhagic fevers?

Ebola

Lassa

Marburg

Dengue

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Where is dengue fever prevalent?

Africa

SE Asia

India

Central and South America

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What are the characteristics for dengue fever?

Incubation 1-2 days

Headache, fever, rash

Can be haemorrhagic

What are the features of a dengue rash?

Scarlatiniform

Maculopapular

Haemorrhagic

What are some signs and symptoms of SARS?

Fever

Dry cough, Sore throat

Shortness of breath

Headache, body aches

Loss of appetite

Night sweats and chills

Confusion

Rash

Diarrhoea

What can you catch from kittens?

Toxiplasmosis

What can you catch from birds?

Psittacosis

Histoplasmosis

Bird fancier’s lung

Bird flu

What can you catch from farm animals?

Campylobacter

E. Coli

What can you get from unpasturised milk?

Brucellosis

What is familial mediterranean fever?

Genetic condition characterised by fever, arthralgia, abdo pain.

If they have a familial history or past medical history, it might be this.

What can smoking and alcohol make you more susceptible to?

Smoking - complications of chicken pox, chicken pox pneumonitis

Alcohol - depressed immune system, TB

Why is important to get a detailed drug history?

Many medicines can cause fevers e.g. NSAIDs, antibiotics, herbs

If someone has fever and relative bradycardia, what would you suspect?

Typhoid, brucellosis

If temperature is up and down, what would you expect?

If it's every 2-3 days, suspect malaria

What kind of infections can cause a low-grade fever?

Gram negative infections

Why is low blood pressure worrying?

Can be septic shock, septicaemia

What can palpable lymph nodes in the neck be a sign of?

Tonsilitis

What can generalised lymphadenopathy be a sign of?

HIV, glandular fever/CMV

What can mumurs in febrile patients be a sign of?

Endocarditis

What infectious diseases can cause splenomegaly?

Bacterial endocarditis Infectious mononucleosis HIV Malaria TB Histiocytosis

What kind of tests would you order for a patient with suspected infectious disease?

Urine dip MSU MC + S U+Es LFTs FBC CXR

Apart from general tests (i.e. blood tests and cxr and urine), what more specific tests might you do?

LP CT head Throat swab Stool specimen HIV serum antibody USS

What is PUO or FUO?

Pyrexia/Fever of unknown origin Fever more than 3 weeks More than 38.3C on multiple occasions No diagnosis after 1 week as an inpatient

What are some common causes of PUO?

Lymphoma Vasculitis Sarcoidosis

What is important to remember when doing an MC+S?

Take one aerobic bottle and one anaerobic bottle Take before starting antibiotics