Microbiology 1 (Dr Orange) Flashcards
What host factors affect your risk of gastrointestinal infection? (5)
Age (very young and elderly) Decreased gastric acid secretion Decreased gut motility Influence of colonic microflora Intestinal immunity
What bacterias seen in the UK cause Gastrointestinal infections? (8)
Campylobacter coli/ jejuni Salmonella enterica E coli O157 Shigella sonnei Staph aureus/ Clostridium perfingens/ Bacillus cereus C difficile
What viruses seen in the UK cause gastrointestinal infections? (2)
Norovirus
Rotavirus
What parasites seen in the UK cause gastrointestinal infections? (2)
Cryptosporidium sp
Giardia lamblia
What bacterias, usually imported from abroad, case gastrointestinal infections?
Vibrio cholerae/ parahaemolyticus
Salmonella typhi/ paratyphi
Aeromonas sp.
Shigella dysenteriae/ flexneri/ boydii
What parasite, usually imported from abroad, can cause GI infections?
Entamoeba histolytica
What is diarrhoea?
3 or more loose stools in 24 hours
What is the source/ reservoir of infection?
The original source of the infection e.g. animal gut, another human’s gut, etc.
What is the vehicle of infection?
The means by which the infection is transmitted from one person to another (e.g. contaminated food/ water)
What is the source and vehicle of infection of E. coli O157
Source = cattle GI tract
Vehicle of infection = undercooked hamburger
What shape is camplobacter (C. jejune, C. coli)?
Curved gram negative bacilus
What is the commonest cause bacterial GI infection in the UK?
Campylobacter
Incubation period of campylobacter?
3-10 days
How does campylobacter make you unwell?
Causes inflammation of the colon and rectum leading to bloody diarrhoea
Can invade and occasionally get into bloodstream (patients get systemically unwell with flu like symptoms)
What is the main source/ vehicle of infection of campylobacter?
Undercooked poultry + other farm animals, water and unpasteurised milk (person to person spread is rare - outbreaks usually because consumed the same chicken)
Symptoms of campylobacter?
Abdo pain
Diarrhoea =/- blood
Management of campylobacter?
Usually self limiting but give ERYTHROMYCIN or CIPROFLOXACIN for 5 days if patient develops systemic illness
What does “enteric” in Salmonella enterica mean?
It is the agreed species name for all food poisoning i.e. non-typhoidal salmonella (often still called by species name e.g. S. enteritiditis, S. typhimurium, etc.
What is the incubation period for Salmonella enterica?
12 - 48 hours
What is the mechanism of action of Salmonella enterica?
Causes inflammation of the ileum and colon - multiply in gut and cause mucosal damage, decreased mucosal damage and increased fluid excretion
Can invade and occasionally get into bloodstream
What is the source/ vehicle of infection of salmonella enterica?
Undercooked poultry + other farm animals (much less common since immunisation of poultry against Salmonella spp.)
Symptoms of salmonella enterica?
Abdo pain
Diarrhoea (occasionally bloody)
Vomiting
Management of salmonella?
Usually ciprofloxacin for 5 days if patient at risk of or develops systemic illness
What type of Shigella is seen in the UK?
Shigella sonnei (most benign type) - outbreaks occur every few years amongst cohorts of vulnerable children
Incubation period for Shigella sonnei?
1-9 days
Mechanism of action of Shigella sonnei?
Invades intestinal mucosa causing severe inflammation, but does not invade further (never seen in blood cultures)
What is seen in the stools of a patient with Shigella?
Blood and pus cells
Source/ vehicle of infection of Shigella?
Human only infection
Often spread person- person amongst young children in schools, etc.
Symptoms of shigella Sonnei?
Abdo pain
Diarrhoea (occasionally blood)
Management of Shigella sonnei?
Usually self-limiting - symptomatic treatment only
Other species of Shigella (dysenteriae, etc.) acquired abroad, usually require Ciprofloxacin due to more severe infection
What strain of E coli produces a toxin that damages red blood cells and the kidneys?
The O157:H7 strain (and a few other serotypes)
What type of toxin does E coli O157 produce and what does this do?
verotoxin (VTEC)
Damages red cells and the kidney, causing haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS)
(increased blood urea, red cell haemolysis and thrombocytopenia)
Who are most at risk of developing HUS?
Children
What is the source/ vehicle of infection of E coli O157?
Carried as part of the normal gut flora in cattle
Beef becomes contained on the outside at slaughter = increased risk from minced meat and hamburgers than from a steak
Nursery/ school visits to farm
Private (untreated) water supplies = run off water from fields
Low infecting dose, so person-person spread causes 2y cases
Symptoms of E coli O157?
Abdo pain
Bloody diarrhoea is common
Management of E coli O157?
Symptomatic and supportive treatment only
Antibiotics contraindicated as may increase release of toxin
Check bloods for HUS 1 week after onset of symptoms