Medicinal microbiology Flashcards
What is the name of the bacterium that causes diptheria?
Corynebacterium diptheriae
What causes symptoms of diptheria?
The toxins produced by corynebacterium diptheriae
What are the symptoms of a diptheria infection?
The toxins cause a grey/white ‘false membrane’ to form starting from an ulcer. This can cover the back of the throat and cause suffocation if not treated. Other symptoms include a fever, swollen glands and a sore throat.
What is the 6 in 1 vaccine and when is it given?
The vaccine is given to babies at 8,12 and 16 weeks.
It covers diptheria, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influnzae Type B, polio, tetanus and whooping cough.
Aside from the 6 in 1, 4 in 1 and 3 in 1 vaccine when else may a diptheria vaccine be administrated?
You may receive a booster vaccine if you are travelling to an area with high prevalence of diptheria such as Indonesia.
What type of bacteria is Corynebacterium dipetheriae?
Gram postitive (aerobe)
What is the bacterium called that causes tetanus?
Clostridium tetani
What type of bacteria is clostridium tetani?
Gram positive (anaerobic) rod shaped
How can you become infected with clostridium tetani?
Wounds come into contact with soil or manure. The bacterium is a specific type of soil bacterium.
What causes the symptoms of tetanus to appear?
Clostridium tetani produces endospores under certain conditions. When these spores enter our bodies they produce neurotoxins which causes symptoms of tetanus.
What are some of the symptoms of tetanus?
Stiffness of jaw muscle
Painful muscle spasms
Stiffness in neck and back
Fever
Sweating
Rapid heart rate
What is the 4 in 1 vaccine and when is it administrated?
It is also known as the pre school booster and is given at the age of 3 years and 4 months.
It includes killed strains of:
Diptheria
Tetanus
Whooping cough
Polio
What is the 3 in 1 vaccine and when is it administrated?
It is given in Year 9 and includes protection from:
Diptheria
Tetanus
Polio
What are the main symptoms of a UTI?
Burning sensation on urination
Increased urinary frequency
Blood in urine
Lower back pain
What bacterium causes a UTI?
In the community over 80% of UTIs are caused by E. coli
What type of bacterium is E coli?
Gram negative
List Gram negative specific antibiotics.
-Ureidopenicillins (piperacillin)
-Third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime, ceftazidime)
-Carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem)
-Fluorquinolones (ciprofloxacin)
What sort of infections does Gram negative bacterium cause?
Usually affects GI tract, UTIs and pelvic inflammatory diseases
What sort of infections does Gram positive bacterium cause?
Causes infections of the skin and soft tissue, wound infections and osteomyelitis
What sort of infections does anaerobic bacterium cause?
Normally responsible for infections in the mouth, teeth, throat, sinus in addition to the lower bowel and appendicitis
What is the difference between staphylococcus and streptococcus bacterium?
Both are gram positive bacterium. Staphylococcus infections are the leading cause of boils, abscesses, conjunctivitis, impetigo and cellulitis. Streptococcus infections cause strept throat and scarlet fever.
When should nitrofurantoin not be prescribed for a UTI?
If the patient has poor renal function (under 45 mL/min)
What is a severe drug interaction with Trimethoprim?
Should NOT be given alongside methotrexate
What is the empiric treatment for a UTI? (non-pregnant women)
Trimethoprim 200mg twice a day for 3 days or 100mg Modified release Nitrofurantoin twice a day for 3 days.
What should be given for a severe UTI?
IV Gentamycin
How would you diagnose a UTI in over 65s?
Only based on symptoms present
How would you diagnose a UTI in under 65s?
Symptoms in addition to a dipstick test of urine sample to test for the present of nitrates which indicates an infection.
What is the difference between horizontal and vertical transmission of a pathogen?
Horizontal transmission a person passing on the pathogen to others in a community or exposing the pathogen to others in a community. Vertical transmission is exposing the pathogen inter-generationally.
What is an example of vertical transmission (antibodies)?
Passing of antibodies via the placenta (IgG in the third trimester) or breast milk (IgA).
What diseases can be transmitted vertically?
Hepatitis B, HIV, rubella
Explain opportunistic infections.
Opportunistic infections are pathogens that infect us but do not causes an immune response, they do not make us ill. Only if you are immuno-suppressed would cause a disease.
What is the name of bacterium that causes opportunistic infections?
Pseudomonas
What type of bacterium is pseudomonas?
Gram negative rod shaped bacterium, respiratory mode of metabolism
What is a disease where psuedomonas is the primary pathogen?
Cystic fibrosis, secondary invader in severe burns
How does borrelia burgdorfen spread?
Bites of ticks
Describe the three stages a patient would experience with borrelia burgdorfen?
The first stage is the appearance of an expanding rash at the site of the tick bite.
Then the dissemination phase with fever and a headache.
Lastly if untreated a persistent infection would occur affecting the nervous system.
What is the clinical name associated of Borrelia Burgdorfen?
Lyme disease
What type of bacterium is Borrelia burgdorferi?
It is a gram negative spirochete bacterium
What is the first line treatment of Lyme Disease? Explain you choice.
Course of oral doxycycline (broad spectrum antibiotic covering both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterium).
If a patient is presenting with symptoms of central nervous system involvement what is the first line treatment? (Lyme disease)
IV Ceftriaxone,
If not suitable then oral doxycycline
When should a microbiological samples and blood culture sample be taken for a patient with suspected sepsis?
Before administrating any IV antibiotics. Therefore at least within an hour of the patient being diagnosed with suspected sepsis.
What does the ‘SEPSIS’ acronym stand for?
Symptoms of Sepsis:
S- slurred speech or confusion
E- extreme shivering/muscle pain
P-passing no urine
S-severe breathlessness
I-it feels like you are going to die
S-skin mottled or discoloured
How is sepsis transmitted?
Normally sepsis is caused by an infection that then develops. It is not contagious.
What are examples of bacterium that causes sepsis?
The three most common sepsis-causing bacterium are:
Staphylococcus aureus
E. coli
Streptococcus
What is the first line treatment of a patient with suspected sepsis?
IV empirical anti-microbial which is given in line with local or national guidelines.
How is legionella pneumophilia normally spread?
When the bacteria enters water sources and can rapidly multiply in warm, moist conditions such as air conditioners.
When does hospital acquired pneumonia usually occur?
Symptoms develop 48-72 hours of being in hospital
How does the first line treatment of CAP differ with HAP?
First line treatment in CAP:
Amoxicillin 500mg three times a day for 5 days
HAP:
Doxycycline 200mg on Day 1 then 100mg for the four following days (5 days treatment)
Can increase to 7 days, depending on severity
What is the main cause of pneumonia? (fungi, bacteria, virus etc.)
In children mainly due to a viral infection or secondary bacterial, in adults it is bacterial.
How can neonates develop pneumonia?
If they inherit chlamydia from the Mother they can develop interstitial pneumonitis
What are the main identifiable symptoms of pneumonia
Chest pain
A persistent cough which can be dry or productive
Loss of appetite
High temperature
Rapid heart rate
Shivering or sweating
Main bacterium that causes community acquired pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae
What diagnostic measures would you use for a suspected CAP presenting patient?
Chest X-ray- if CAP is present there is likely to be shadowing on the lungs (basal consolidation).
What key symptom is NOT present in CAP?
Sore throat
When is clarithomycin prescribed in pneumonia?
When the bacterium causing CAP is atypical bacteria such as Legionella pneumophilia or mycoplasma pneumoniae
Should clarithomycin be administrated by IV or orally?
It has no increased efficacy when given by IV therefore if possible orally
How is celluitis monitored?
Draw around the red area, to see it shrinking once antibiotics are administrated
What are the main pathogens causing celluitis?
Group A streptococcus
Staphylococcus auerus
What is the first line treatment for celluitis?
IV flucoxacillin or clarithomycin
How do you diagnose celluitis?
Taking a wound swab
What clinical interventions should be made before starting patients on antibiotics? (START SMART)
Take medication record, making note of allergies
Begin antibiotics as soon as possible, normally broad spectrum
Record indication and drug chart
Note review date or duration
Comply with local guidelines
Take microbiological specimens
When should a clinical review of antibiotics take place?
48 hours after treatment has begun
What are the five decisions made at antibiotic review?
STOP
IV to oral switch
Change to narrow spectrum
No change, review in another 24 hours
OPAT
What are some of the investigations used to detect and monitor patient infections?
Haemotology results
Biochemistry results
Body temperature
X-rays
When is the meningoccocal type B vaccine given?
It is given to babies a 8 weeks, 16 weeks and then at one years old.
What are the four vaccines given when a baby turns 1?
Hib/MenC (1st dose)
MMR (1st dose)
Pneumococcal vaccine (2nd dose)
MenB (3rd dose)
What are three teenage jabs?
HPV vaccine (12-13 years)
3 in 1 teenage booster (13-15 years)
MenACWY vaccine (13-15 years)
When is the second MMR vaccine given?
3 years 4 months alongside the 4 in 1 booster
How is the rotavirus vaccine administrated?
It is given orally
What age is the rotavirus vaccine administrated?
At 8 weeks and 12 weeks
What antibodies are crucial for polio protection?
IgA antibodies
Which demographics would be unable to receive live attenuated vaccines and why?
Immunosuppressed patients in the fear that they will not be able to produce a sufficient immune response
Pregnant women due to potential fecal damage
What is the difference in mechanisms between live and killed vaccines?
Live vaccines contain a weakened form of the antigen causing the pathogen, the antigen can infect cells but not cause the illness. Killed vaccines contain a killed form of the antigen so they cannot infect cells but can still trigger an immune response.
What are the advantages of live attenuated vaccines?
Only one single dose is required
Low cost
Immunity last for years rather than months
What is the potential safety risk of live attenuated virus?
In live attenuated vaccines the antigen present is often a mutated form of the actual virus. Therefore in some individuals the antigen can re-mutate back into the original form inducing the disease.
What are some examples of live attenuated vaccines?
MMR and the rotavirus
What are some of the advantages of using killed vaccines?
There is no risk of reverting back into the original virus.
What are the disadvantages of using a killed vaccine?
Usually quite expensive
Requires multiple injections as the immune system is not activated therefore multiple doses of antibodies are required.
The conditions required to propose global eradication of a disease? (6 conditions)
The disease must be limited to humans
No long term carrier status possible
The disease must be easily recognisable
Must only be one or a few serotypes
There must a cheap, stable and effective vaccine available
The eradication program is cost effective
Describe the difference between the two polio vaccines.
The Salk vaccine is a killed vaccine whereas the Sabin vaccine was a live vaccine.
Which polio vaccine is no longer used and why?
The Sabin virus (live virus) is no longer used once the disease has been eradicated, this was due to the side effects induced by the vaccine.
Why has no vaccine for HIV been developed yet?
Because epitopes of the viral envelope are too variable. Furthermore HIV attacks the immune system so there is no effective cell-mediated immunity.