Session 6 Flashcards
What organism causes malaria?
Plasmodium species (falciparum, vivas, ovale and malarie) protozoa.
How is malaria spread?
Via the female Anopheles mosquito. No case-to-case spread.
What is the incubation period of malaria?
6 or more days. May be over a year in some cases.
What symptoms do malaria patients typically present with?
Fever, chills and sweats in cycles. May also have splenomegaly.
What is the mechanism of infection of malaria?
Sporozites from mosquito are injected into the human; sporozites travel to hepstocytes where they replicate to form merozoites; merozoites infect new RBCs in the liver and replicate to form new merozoites; RBC bursts and the merozoites go on to infect more RBCs. Dormant hypnozoites may remain in the liver and cause a secondary infection.
How is malaria treated?
Malignant using artesunate or quinine and doxycycline.
Benign using chloroquine and primaquine.
How is malaria prevented?
Prevent bites using nets, clothing and repellant; specific chemoprophylaxis before, during and after travel.
How is enteric fever transmitted?
Via fecal-oral transmission due to poor sanitation.
What causes enteric fever?
Salmonella enterica.
How does Salmonella enterica appear histologically?
Gram negative rods.
How does enteric fever spread through the body?
Via the lymph system.
What features of Salmonella enterica make it more effective?
Produces invasion to allow intracellular growth; has fimbrae on the surface to aid in adherence to epithelium over ideal lymphoid tissue.
What are the common symotoms of enteric fever?
Systemic disease due to bactaraemia, fever, headache, abdominal discomfort, constipation, dry cough, relative bradycardia.
What may a patient with enteric fever show on examination?
Anaemia, lymphopenia, raised LFTs.
How is enteric fever treated?
Ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone used if resistant to ciprofloxacin.
