Infectious Disease Flashcards
Causes of cervical lymphadenopathy?
Abscess/lymphadenitis Atypical TB Cat scratch Mumps Malignancy e.g. lymphoma EBV Toxopasmosis Brucellosis Salivary stones
Causes of atypical lymphocytosis?
EBV CMV Toxoplasmosis Mumps TB Malaria
Causes of eosinophilia?
Atopy (asthma, eczema, EO)
Parasitic disease (hookworm, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis)
Psoriasis
Hodgkin’s lymphoma + eosinophilic leukaemia
Drug sensitivity
Causes of hydrops fetalis?
- 10-15% “immune” - fetal anaemia due to anti-D/anti-Kell
- 85-90% “non-immune” - parvovirus, toxo, syphilis, aneuploidy, SVT, congenital heart block, TTT syndrome, muscular dystrophy, alpha thalassaemia major
Prognostic markers in HIV?
HIV viral load is most important predictor of progressive disease in early stages of HIV infection
- CD4 count is important prognosticator in late stage disease
India ink stain with halo indicates which organism?
- Cryptococcus neoformans - commonest cause of fungal meningitis in immunocompromised patients.
- Onset may be insidious.
- India ink stain is the classic stain for this organism and the halo is due to the stain being unable to penetrate the capsule of the organism
What type of organism is gonorrhea?
Gram negative diplococcus
What are the contraindications for BCG vaccination?
- Immunocompromised
- HIV or suspected HIV
- Generalised infected skin condition
- Positive IGRA or mantoux and <8m age
When are patients with chickenpox contageous?
From 24-48 hours before the rash appears and until all the vesicles have crusted ove
Describe the antigen/antibodies in these situations: A: Acute hepatitis B infection B: Chronic hepatitis B infection C: Hepatitis D superinfection D: Past hepatitis B vaccination E: Previous hepatitis B infection
A: Acute hepatitis B infection - HBsAg positive, anti-HBc positive, IgM anti-HBc positive
B: Chronic hepatitis B infection - HBsAg positive, anti-HBc positive, IgM anti-HBc negative
C: Hepatitis D superinfection - this should be suspected in a patient with chronic hepatitis B whose condition suddenly worsens
D: Past hepatitis B vaccination - HBsAg negative, anti-HBc negative, anti-HBs positive
E: Previous hepatitis B infection - HBsAg negative, anti-HBc positive, anti-HBS positive
What is the mechanism of weakness in infantile botulism?
- Inhibition of neurotransmitter release by neurotoxins produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium
- Symmetric descending paralysis beginning with cranial nerves/bulbar palsy
- It presents with: constipation, poor feeding, drooling, choking, weak cry, increasing weakness and floppiness and breathing difficulties
- Medical emergency. Needs ventilation, IVF, antitoxin early
Cut off values for mantoux test?
> 5mm or more is considered positive in:
A recent contact with TB, HIV +ve, fibrotic x-ray changes, immunosuppressed
>10mm or more is considered positive in: Recent immigrants (<5 years) from high prevalence countries, <4y/o, high risk exposure
> 15mm or more is considered positive in:
Any person
Describe the mechanism behind tick paralysis
- Holocyclus = tick causing paralysis in Australia
- Toxin released by the tick blocks acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction
- Results in dilated pupils, lethargy, weakness, ataxia, slurred speech, ascending paralysis, depressed deep tendon and gag reflexes
- Sensory symptoms absent (differentiates from Guillain Barre which has frequent prodromal sensory symptoms).
- Can resemble botulism.
- Treatment: remove tick, although this may create short term worsening in symptoms. Toxin antidote can cause serum sickness in human
Discuss Lyme disease
- Caused by borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by ticks (IXODES TICK)
- Erythema migrans (red, circular rash with central bullseye) at site of bite
- Malaise, lymphadenopathy, paresthesia, headaches, myalgia, difficulties with memory and concentration
- 21 day course of doxycycline, majority of patients recover
Conjunctivitis with intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies?
Chlamydial conjunctivitis
What are the risks of neisseria gonorrhoeae conjunctivitis?
- Severe keratitis
- Endophthalmitis (purulent inflammation of intraocular fluid)
- Disseminated infection (ophthalmia neonatorum)
- Gram -ve diplococci organism
- Treat with IM ceftriaxone, saline irrigation. Need CSF and blood cultures
What is a common gram negative coccobacillus?
Haemophilus influenzae
What is the attack rate, spread, and incubation period of measles?
90% ; R0=18
Airborne or person-to-person
Incubation 6-21 days
Infective -5 to +4 from rash
SIDE EFFECT TB TREATMENT
- Rifampicin: orange body secretions, hepatitis 1%, leukopenia/thrombocytopenia, rash ; CYP450 INDUCER
- Isoniazid: peripheral neuritis (Rx pyridoxine), hepatitis ; CYP450 INHIBITOR
- Ethambutol: optic neuritis
- Pyrazinamide: GI, gout, joint pain, itch ; RASH
Live vaccines in NZ
MMR, rotarvirus, varicella, BCG
TB treatment
Pulmonary TB (6/12 total)
- Intensive: 2/12 Rifamp(R) ; Isoniazid(H) ; Pyrazinamide (Z) ; RHZ (add Ethambutol (E) if severe disease)
- Maintenance: 4/12 Rifampicin and Isoniazid (RH)
If CNS / Miliary / Osteoarticular for 12 months treatment total;
2/12 RHZE ; 10/12 RH
Corticosteroids used for TB meningitis (6-8/52)
What are the main features of Cutaneous leishmaniasis?
Found in America, North Africa, Middle East and Asia
Caused by protazoa leishmaniasis
• Acquired through bite of infected sandfly
• Erythematous papule enlarges to nodule to ulcerating lesion months with raised indurated borders
• May spontaneously resolve over months/years
• Biopsy to confirm diagnosis
• Various therapeutic options
What are the main features of Cutaneous larva migrans?
AKA “creeping eruption”
• Most frequent skin disease among travellers returning from tropical countries (esp from beaches)
• Animal hookworms (contact with dog/cat faeces)
– Ancylostoma braziliense (cat)
– Ancylostoma caninum (dog)
• Incubation period usually short
• Advancing serpiginous tracts in skin with associated intense pruritus
• Eventually self limiting
• Treatment
– Oral albendazole, or ivermectin
• Complications
– Impetigo
– Local and generalised allergic reactions
– hypereosinophilia
Cerebral malaria associated with which organism
Plasmodium Falciparum
What are the risk factors for cerebral abscess?
- Congenital heart disease
- Trauma
- Surrounding infection (e.g. ocular, ear)
- Surgery
- Immunocompromised patients
Describe the presentation of parechovirus in young infants
- Severe sepsis-like presentation
- Diffuse erythematous maculopapular rash
- May have diarrhoea
- Shocked, extreme tachycardia and tachypnoea
- Can develop encephalitis with long term white matter injury
Describe subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)
- Late onset after measles infection
- Progressive neurological disorder with memory loss, dementia, behavioural change, myoclonus, pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs
- Leads to vegetative state and death in 1-3 years
- MRI: signal change in PV white matter
- EEG: Radermecker complex
- CSF: high titre measles IgM and IgG antibodies
What is the mechanism of resistance in the SPACE group organisms?
- Serratia, pseudomonas, acinetobacter, citrobacter, enterobacter
- May produced AmpC beta-lactamase, which rapidly hydrolyses penicillins and cephalosporins
- If low levels of AmpC, can become resistant with prolonged treatment courses (inducible resistance)
- Therefore, even if reported as susceptible, cephalosporins not recommended as 1st line therapy for serious infections caused by SPACE organisms
What organisms can be present after animal bites?
- Cat - pasteurella multocida, staph aureus
- Dog - pasteurella canis, staph aureus, bacteroides, fusobacterium
- Monkey - herpes B virus (monkeypox, herpes simia)
- Rabies
A child who has a known diagnosis of HIV develops massive splenomegaly. Splenic aspirate reveals multiple amastigotes.
- Leishmani donoavani
- Visceral Leishmaniasis can present with massive splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy
- Can test on urine antigen, gold standard is identifying amastigote
- Small spherical or oval bodies which are transmitted by sandflies. Splenic aspirate is >95% sensitive.
A child from East Africa has been diagnosed with scabies which has been resistant to treatment. A skin snip reveals multiple microfilariae.
- Onchocerca volvulus
- Filarial worm responsible for river blindness, transmitted by simulium flies who breed in rapidly flowing water
- Intensely itchy rash which can be misdiagnosed as scabies
- Presence of microfilariae on skin snip
What are the alternative names for human herpes virus 1-8?
- HSV1 and HSV2
- HSV 3 = VZV/varicella
- HSV 4 = EBV
- HSV 5 = CMV
- HSV 6 and 7 = roseola
- HSV 8 = kaposi-associated herpes virus
What antibiotics are protein-synthesis inhibitors?
Aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol and macrolides.
- Tetracyclines and aminoglycsides inhibit binding of tRNA at the ribosome
- Aminoglycosides also stuff up the reading of mRNA
- Chloramphenicol inhibits peptidyltransferase activity at the ribosome
- Erythromycin inhibits translocation
Conjugate vs polysaccharide vaccines
- Conjugate (polysaccharide + protein = more potent) more effective in infancy, don’t develop response to polysaccharide vaccines
- Conjugate gives higher antibody response and more effective protection
- Polysaccharide (e.g. pneumovax) doesn’t provide herd immunity, no booster response, T-cell independent
Main cause of cervical cancers?
HPV 16 and 18
Time-dependent killing
- Beta lactams, macrolides, vancomycin
- Most important factor is the time above MIC i.e. dosing interval
- Reach maximum kill rate at 2-4x MIC
- No post antibiotics effect
Concentration-dependent killing
- Aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin)
- Most important factor is peak concentration
- Max bactericidal activity achieved when levels much higher (10x) than MIC
- Significant post-antibiotic effect also concentration dependent, so better with a larger peak
- Once daily dosing means large doses given less frequently
- CMax/MIC = aminoglyc, fluoro
- AUC/MIC = vancomycin, aminogly, azithro
Which antibiotics act on cell wall synthesis?
- Beta lactams: penicillin, cephalosporin, carbapenems, monobactams
- Vancomycin
Which antibiotics act on folate synthesis?
- Sulfonamides
- Trimethoprim
Which antibiotics act on protein synthesis: 50S subunits?
- Macrolides
- Clindamycin
- Chloramphenicol
Which antibiotics act on protein synthesis: 3OS subunits?
- Tetracyclines
- Aminoglycosides
Which antibiotics act on DNA gyrase?
- Quinolones (ciprofloxacin)
Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to?
- Cephalosporins
- Low affinity for enterococcal penicillin binding proteins
- Need penicillin, amox, or vancomycin
Penicillin is good for treating?
- Streptococci
- Enterococci
- Neisseria
- Listeria
- Syphilis
- > has poor penetration into CSF, so lower threshold for defining penicillin resistance in meningitis than at other sites
Discuss carbapenems
- Very broad spectrum - gram positive, gram negative, ESBL, pseudomonas
- ADRs: neurotoxicity, lowers seizure threshold esp imipenem
Are beta lactams bactericidal or bacteriostatic?
Bactericidal
Mechanisms of beta lactam resistance
- Beta-lactamase production - E.Coli, staph aureus
- Altered penicillin binding proteins i.e. altered binding site e.g. MRSA
- Reduced drug entry - reduces susceptibility but not usually resistant
- Removal of drug (efflux pumps) - pseudomonas
Extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs)
- Confer resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactam
- Retain susceptibility to carbapenems (eg meropenem)
- Hydrolyse beta lactam rings, some only do this to penicillin so may still be able to use augmentin/cephalosporin
- e.g. Klebsiella, E.Coli
- Important amongst travellers esp SE Asia
- Can still use nitrofurantoin for lower UTI