Principals of Infection Treatment

Question 1

What are the main differences between typical and atypical pneumonia?

Answer 1

TYPICAL –> Limited to the lungs, bacterial causes have a cell wall so treated with beta-lactams, CXR typically shows homogenous opacity

ATYPICAL –> Systemic infection with pulmonary component, most bacterial causes do NOT have a cell wall (NO GRAM STAIN) so not treated with beta-lactams, CXR tends to show diffuse patchy or ground glass shadow

Question 2

What is special about pneumonia caused by legionella or Mycoplasma pneumoniae?

Answer 2

Legionella –> Intracellular

Mycoplasma pneumoniae –> Paracellular

Question 3

What is MIC?

Answer 3

Minimum Inhibitory Concentration –> The dilution of antibiotic that just prevents growth

Question 4

Bactericidal antibiotics are especially important in?

Answer 4

Endocarditis
Neutropaenic sepsis
Meningitis

Question 5

What is synergism?

Answer 5

Combined effect of both antimicrobials greater than

alone

Question 6

What is antagonism?

Answer 6

Combined effect is less

EG: penicillin with chloramphenicol (blocks protein synthesis slowing cell growth –> pencillin cannot
work)

Question 7

Name some bacteria that can causes surgical site infection

Answer 7

Staphylococcus aureus
Coagulase negative staphylococci
Enterococcus
E. coli