MICRO: GI infections Flashcards
Define gastroenteritis.
Rapid onset diarrhoeal illness, lasting <2 weeks with diarrhoea (loose or unformed stool) ≥3/day or ≥200g of stool which is either viral or bacterial in aetiology
Define diarrhoea and the types.
- Loose or watery stool, ≥3 times in 24 hours, acute/chronic/persistent
- Acute <14 days (may be viral or bacterial)
- Persistent 14-29 days
- Chronic >30 days (may be due to parasites and non-infectious aetiology)
How can you distinguish between large and small bowel diarrhoea?
- Small bowel diarrhoea = watery, crampy abdominal pain, bloating and gas; inflammatory cells rare
- Large bowel diarrhoea = small volume, painful, occur with blood/mucous; inflammatory cells common
Which patients are most vulnerable to GI infections?
Infants and the elderly
Other RFs for GI infection:
- Immunosuppressed patients
- MSM
- Haemochromatosis or haemoglobinopathy
- Outbreak
- Travel
- Occupational exposure/iatrogenic
- Animals and reptiles
- Institutioon/childcare facility exposure
Which GI infections are reportable?
(Not sure why two different lists were given). Generally all forms of gastroenteritis are notifiable, each trust to notify local health protection unit to help identify outbreaks in areas. Environmental Health Officers may inspect premises and take samples from environment and food.
Reportable Organisms:
- Campylobacter,
- Salmonella,
- Shigella
- E. coli 0157,
- Listeria,
- Norovirus
Notifiable diseases =
- Campylobacter,
- Clostridium species,
- Listeria monocytogenes,
- Vibrio,
- Yersinia
Differentiate clinically between the following:
- Secretory diarrhoea
- Inflammatory diarrhoea
- Enteric fever
- Secretory diarrhoea
- No/low grade fever
- No WBC in stool sample (neutrophils)
- e.g. Vibrio cholerae, ETEC, EAggEC, EPEC, EHEC
- Inflammatory diarrhoea
- Fever
- WBC in stool sample
- e.g. Campylobacter, Shigella, Salmonella (non-typhi), EIEC
- Enteric fever
- Fever
- WBC in stool sample (mononuclear cells)
- e.g. Typhoidal salmonella, enteropathogenic Yersinia, Brucella spp.
What is the mechanism of secretory diarrhoea?
Toxin production
What is the mechanism of diarrhoea in cholera?
This causes a secretory diarrhoea
- Cholera toxin binds to cell plasma membrane and releases subunit A which enters the plasma membrane
- cAMP opens Cl- channels at the apical membrane of the enterocytes causing an efflux of Cl- to lumen with loss of water and electrolytes à profoundly dehydrated
How do superantigens cause secretory diarrhoea?
What are the two components of the pathophysiology of enteric fever?
- Inflammatory (exudative) diarrhoea
- Enteric fever: interstitial inflammation
What is the average incubation, duration and source of these organism GI infections:
- campylobacter
- E coli 0157
- Shigella
- Salmonella (non-typhi)
What is the average incubation, duration and source of these organism GI infections:
- Vibrio parahaemolyticus
- Vibrio cholerae
- Bacillus cereus
- Staph aureus
Name 2 bacterial GI infections with durations of illness <1 day.
Staph aureus (incubation 2-7 hours)
Bacillus cereus (incubation 1-6 hours)
Name 2 causes of each.
Describe the microbiological features of S. aureus. How does it look when plated?
Catalase +ve,
coagulase +ve,
gram +ve
coccus
Appears in tetrads, clusters on gram stain, yellow colonies on blood agar
How is S. aureus transmittted?
1/3 of poulation are carrriers and 1/3 transiently carry it
Spread by skin lesions on food handlers
What is the mechanism of S. aureus GI infection? How is it managed?
Mechanims:
- Superantigen production - produces enterotoxin, an exotoxin that can act as a superantigen in the GI tract,
- release of IL1 and IL2 causevprominent vomiting and watery,
- non-bloody diarrhoea
Management: none, self-limiting
List 3 gram +ve rods (spore-forming) causing GI infections.
- Bacillus cereus
- Clostridia (botulinum, perfringens, difficile)
- Listeria monocytogenes
What are the clinical features of Bacillus cereus infection?
Presentation and complications:
- Watery non-bloody diarrhoea;
- Self-limiting
- Rare cause of bacteraemia in vulnerable population
- Can cause cerebral abscesses
What toxins are produced by bacillus cereus?
Produces 2 types of toxins:
Heat stable toxin: spores germinate in reheated fried rice (not destroyed by reheating)
Heat-labile diarrhoeal toxin: food is not cooked to a high enough temperature
Which gram +ve anaeobes cause GI infections?
Clostridia
What is the source, mechanism and treatment of clostridium botulinum?
Source: canned or vacuum-packed food (honey in infants)
Mechanism: Ingestion of preformed toxin (inactivated by cooking). Blocks ACh release from peripheral nerve synapses –> paralysis/botulism
Treatment: with antitoxin
What is the source, mechanism and presentation of clostridium perfringens infection?
Source: reheated food (meat)
Mechanism: superantigen/enterotoxin affects normal flora of colon but not small bowel, where the enterotoxin acts (superantigen). Incubation is 8-16hrs.
Presentation: Watery diarrhoea, cramps, vomiting lasting 24hrs (suspect GI necrosis if persists)
Who is most at risk of C. difficile carraige?
<2yr and >65yr usually carry C. diff. in their guts.
Not tested for much in children.
Which toxins are produced by C. difficile? Which is more dangerous?
Produces 2 toxins – Toxin A and Toxin B
- Toxin A = enterotoxin = inflammation
- Toxin B = cytotoxin = virulence factor (more dangerous than A)
Which antibiotics precipitate C.difficile? What is the management?
- Any but mainly cephalosporins, cipro, clindamycin and co-amoxiclav
- Any antibiotic other than an aminoglycoside
Management:
- Infection control – isolation and hand-washing.
- PO metronidazole +/- vancomycin
- Stop offending agent/antibiotics
Describe the microbiolgical characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes?
ß-haemolytic, aesculin positive with tumbling-weed motility
Who is most at risk of Listeria monocytogenes infection? What is the source, presentation and management of listeria monocytogenes infection?
Can have complications on foetus so dangerous in pregnancy.
- Source: refrigerated food (“cold-enhancement”), unpasteurized dairy, vegetables (grows at 4ºC)
- Symptoms: Watery diarrhoea, cramps, headache, fever, little vomiting
- Treatment: ampicillin