Microbiology 15 - Zoonoses Flashcards
What are the key features of campylobacter food poisoning?
Bloating and cramps
What are the key features of salmonella infection?
Diarrhoea and vomiting
How can salmonella food poisoning be treated?
Supportive + ciprofloxacin
Which types of salmonella must always be treated, and with which can you wait to see if they will need treatment?
S. typhi/ paratyphi = always treat
Other types = watchful waiting
Bartonella is a zoonotic infection from which animal?
Kittens
What diseases can be caused by bartonella henselae?
Cat scratch disease/ baciliary angiomatosis (if immunocompromised)
How should cat scratch disease be treated?
Erythromycin + doxycycline
What are the signs of baciliary angiomatosis?
Skin papules and whacky LFTs
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection from which animal?
Cats
How is toxoplasmosis treated?
Spiramycin- a macrolide (often used in pregnant women to reduce chance of foetus getting the infection)
Pyrimethamine + Sulfadiazine if pregnant woman and baby have it
What is the risk with toxoplasmosis infection in the immunocompromised?
That it will be reactivated, leading to progressive visual/ hearing/ motor/ cognitive impairment and seizures
Also risk to pregnant women
What is the risk with toxoplasmosis infection in pregnancy?
Still birth
Where in the world is brucellosis most likely found?
Middle East/italy/malta
What are the symptoms of brucellosis?
Fever, back pain, orchitis, focal abscesses
(hard to differentiate from TB sometimes)
grown on- Castaneda medium
What is the causative organism in Q fever?
Coxiella burnetti
How is coxiella burnetti transmitted to humans?
Unpasteurised milk
Also from contact with farm animals
What are the symptoms of Q fever?
It’s a flu-like illness
What is the treatment for Q fever?
Doxycycline
What are the causative organisms in rabies?
Lyssa viruses
What are the symptoms of rat bite fever?
Fevers and polyarthralgia
Hantovirus is transmitted to humans via contact with which type of animal?
Rats
How can rite bite fever and hantovirus be differentiated clinically?
Rat bite fever = polyarthralgia
Hantovirus = myalgia
Recall some general principles of investigating and treating zoonotic infections
- History is very important
- Investigation should involve relevant cultures
- Do serology in a targeted way - do not break the NHS budget!
- Pls don’t do PCR cause it costs a fortune
- Doxycycline is usually a good punt for treatment
