Know Your Pathogen

Question 1

the presence of porins in the cell wall indicates a gram +ve or -ve?

Answer 1

gram -ve

Question 2

how can you determine whether an organism is intra or extracellular from a slide if cell membranes cant be seen?

Answer 2

intracellular bacteria cluster around nucleus

Question 3

a gram -ve cocci inside the cell is likely to be what?

Answer 3

gonorrhoea

Question 4

which broad antibiotic class is used to treat strep infections?

Answer 4

penicillin

Question 5

spirochete vs spiral shaped bacteria?

Answer 5

have different positioning of flagellum

Question 6

name 3 spirochete bacteria

Answer 6

borrelia (lyme disease)
syphilis (treponema)
leptospira

Question 7

describe alpha haemolysis?

Answer 7

partial haemolysis

turns agar green

Question 8

describe beta haemolysis

Answer 8

complete haemolysis

turns agar clear/yellow

Question 9

duke vs duke’s criteria?

Answer 9

duke = endocarditis
dukes = staging of colon cancer

Question 10

e. coli is a common cause of endocarditis, true or false?

Answer 10

false

found in gut, biliary tract and urine so rarely causes endocarditis

Question 11

what 3 bacteria are likely to occur in the gut/biliary tract?

Answer 11

coliforms
enterococci
anaerobes

Question 12

what is the best empirical treatment for gut/biliary tract infection?

Answer 12

amoxicillin, metronidazole, gentamicin

Question 13

what does each cover in amox, met and gent?

Answer 13

amoxicillin = gram +ves
metronidazole = anaerobes
gentamicin = gram -ves

Question 14

what is step down therapy after amox, met and gent in gut/biliary infection?

Answer 14

oral co-trimoxazole and metronidazole

Question 15

gram +ve cocci in chains showing gamma haemolysis?

Answer 15

enterococcus

Question 16

what bacteria is likely to cause an acute infection in a diabetic foot ulcer?

Answer 16

staph aureus

Question 17

what bacteria are likely to cause a chronic/acute on chronic infection in a diabetic foot ulcer?

Answer 17

coliforms
anaerobes
staph aureus

Question 18

how is bacillus cereus infection managed?

Answer 18

no antibiotics, self limiting

Question 19

what antibiotic is given as prophylaxis after joint replacement?

Answer 19

co-amoxiclav

Question 20

what are the 4 main causes of bloody diarrhoea?

Answer 20

e. coli 0157
campylobacter
shigella
salmonella

Question 21

what complication is associated with giving antibiotics in E. Coli 0157?

Answer 21

haemolytic uraemic syndrome