Microbiology Flashcards
What antibiotic is recommended for animal or human bites?
Co-amoxiclav
If the patient is penicillin allergic: metranidazole + doxycycline
What pathogen can cause circular areas of dense consolidations, other than TB?
Aspergillus can cause aspergillomas. These are mycetomas (mass-like fungus balls) which often colonise existing lung cavities (e.g. 2° to TB, lung cancer, CF).
What are the symptoms of an aspergilloma?
Often asymptomatic, but can cause:
- Cough
- Haemoptysis
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What is the commonest pathogen causing msalaria?
Falciparum malaria is the commonest cause.
What is the antimicrobial treatment for Lyme disease?
ORAL doxycycline is the treatment of choice for skin-bound Lyme disease (amoxicillin if cpontraindicated, e.g. in pregnancy).
If there are focal signs, such as neruological, cardiac, opthtalmic of rheumatic symptoms, then use IV cerftriaxone
What is the rash seen in Lyme disease?
What are other symptoms that may occur with Lyme disease?
Erythema chronica migrans. (bull’s eye rash).
Non-dermatological features include:
- Cardiovascular: heart block, myocarditis
- Neurological: facial nerve palsy, meningitis
Which organism is responsible for Lyme disease?
Borrelia burgdorferi
What are clinical features of amoebiasis?
Amoebic dysentry:
- Profuse, bloody diarrhoea
- Trophozoites on “hot stool” microscopy
Amoebic liver abscess (can also cause colonic abscess):
- Single mass in right lobule
- Contents described as “anchovy sauce”
- Presents with fever, RUQ pain
How is amoebiasis treated?
Dysentry: metranidazole
Abscess/invasive amoebiasis: amoebicide.
What are the 3 forms of Leishmaniasis, and what are the respective causative organisms?
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis:
- Tropicana and Mexicana
- Crusted lesion at site of bite
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis
- Braziliensis
- Skin lesion may spread to involve mucosae of nose, pharynx etc.
Visceral leishmaniasis:
- Donovani
- Fevers, sweats, rigors
- Massive splenomegaly, hepatomegaly
- Grey skin -> Black sickness (kala-azar)
What can happen when EtOH is consumed whilst on metranidazole?
The combination of metronidazole and ethanol can cause a disulfiram-like reaction. Clinical features of this include head and neck flushing, nausea and vomiting, sweatiness, headache and palpitations.
Summarise the NICE guidelines for tetanus-rpone wounds.
If there is an unclear history of tetanus vaccination ALWAYS give a booster.
If the wound is tetanus-prone, then tetanus immunoglobulin is also required.
In addition, antibacterial prophylaxis such as co-amoxiclav, may be given.
In clean wounds, give the tetanus vaccine booster if the history is unclear.
Which antibiotics can cause a black hairy toungue
Tetracycline antibiotics - this is a temporary reaction and harmless.
This results from defective desquamation of the filiform papillae.
What blood image would an infection with hookworm show?
Hookworms may cause an iron deficiency anaemia in patients returning from travel to endemic areas e.g. the Indian subcontinent. There may also be an eosinophilia.
What are potential causes for a false negative mantoux test?
- Immunosuppression, e.g. AIDS, steroid therapy
- Sarcoidosis
- Lymphoma
- Extremes of age
- Fever
Describe the Mantoux test-
Injection of small amount of PPD (purified protein derivative) into the skin.
48-72 hours later:
- Area of redness >10mm -> previous exposure (including BCG)
- Rea of redness smaller: not exposed to TB
When, after possible exposure, should you test for HIV?
4 weeks. The Ab against p24 antigen are not positive until after this time.
Tests are also usually done immediately (in case it was contracted earlier) and after 12 weeks (to confirm a negative result).
What are the live attenuated vaccines?
- Yellow Fever
- BCG
- MMR
- Oral Polio
- Oral Tyhoid
Which antibiotic is used empirically to treat neutropenic sepsis?
Tazocin - this is piperacillin and tazobactam.
What is neutropenic sepsis?
This is a neutrophil count of < 0.5 * 109 in a patient who is on BM suppressing therapy and has:
- Temperature >38°
- other signs/symptoms consistent with sepsis
Summarise the managment of neutropenic sepsis.
- ABx must be started immediately, do not start for the WCC.
- This is usually tazocin. May add vancomycin or meropenem.
- If not responding after 4-6 days investigate for fungal infection and add antifungal therapy.
- In some patients, G-CSF may play a role, but this is extremely specialist.
Which organism is commonly implicated in peritonitis 2° to peritoneal dialysis?
Staph epidermidis.
Staph aureus is another common cause.
How can Kaposi’s present in children?
Unlike adults, it’s much rarer to find the characteristic skin lesions in a paediatric population, with the most common symptom being lymphadenopathy.
What is the treatment for syphillis?
IM benzathine penicillin is the first-line management.
Alternatively, doxycycline can be given.
What is the treatment for bacterial vaginosis?
Also quickly tell me what BV is.
Oral metranidazole for 5-7 days.
BV is the overgrowth of organsism including Gardnerella vaginalis. This leads to a fall in lactic-acid producting lactobacilli, resulting in raised pH (>4.5). There are clue cells and the Whiff test is positive.
What is the most common cause for an IECOPD?
Haemophilus influenzae is the most common
Strep pneumoniae and maroxella are other cuases.