Session 9: Travel Related Infections Flashcards
Why is travel history so important?
Because the are numerous of disease which could manifest as common diseases from your country. Tropic disease might not be common in the UK but if a person has spent time abroad it will be worth noting. So it is for recognising imported diseases There are different strains of pathogens making them antigenically different. It has impact on protection and detection and on antibiotic resistance. You also need to be wary of the infection in the hospital to not spread it on ward between staff or other patients. Also need to list it as suspected travel disease when sending to lab to not infect them.
Four important questions to ask when it comes to travel related infections.
Where have they been? When did the symptoms arise/When were they there? What are the symptoms? How did they acquire it?
Three most common places to get travel related diseases.
Sub-saharan africa South-east Asia South and Central America
Classification of time between onset till seeking medical attention.
<10 days is acute 10-21 days is subacute >21 days is chronic
Give common symptoms and signs of travel related disease.
Resp GI like diarrhoea Skin rash Jaundice CNS like headache and meningism Haematological like lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly or haemorrhage. Eosinophilia
Give examples of mode of acquisition of travel related disease.
Food/water Insect/tick bite Swimming Sexual contact Animal contact Recreational activities (drugs)
Give 1-2 common infections/microbes of each: 1. Animal bite 2. Rodents 3. Mosquito/insect bite 4. Tick bite 5. Dead/slaughtered animals 6. Farms 7. Game parks 8. Fresh water 9. Caves 10. Unpasteurised dairy 11. Shellfish 12. Under/uncooked fish/meat
1 - Rabies 2 - leptospirosis via rodent urine 3 - Malaria or dengue 4 - Rickettsia 5 - Anthrax 6 - Q-fever 7 - Rickettsia 8 - Schistosomiasis or leptospirosis 9 - Histoplasmosis 10 - Brucellosis 11 - Viral hepatitis A and E 12 - Salmonella
Other important questions to ask of travel history.
Any unwell travel companions or contact. Pre-travel vaccinations or preventative measures. Healthcare exposure
Man comes in with fever. Low BP, high HR and low Sat.
Slightly unwell and confused.
Multiple bite marks and hepatosplenomegaly with moderate icterus.
Hb is low, WCC is low and platelets are low.
Urea is high, creatinine high, bilirubin high but ALT and ALP are both normal.
CRP is high.
Comment on the anaemia. What is the most likely cause of the anaemia?
The haemoglobin is low.
However bilirubin is high which suggests that there is no problem in producing red blood cells. The low haemoglobin and raised bilirubin suggests that there is an increased destruction of RBCs. This is most likely due to some defect of the RBC. Because of the bites it is likely that something has gotten into the red blood cells making them get destroyed. Splenomegaly suggests that there is increased breakdown of RBCs.
Blood film is done. Most likely diagnosis.
Parasites in RBCs. Most likely malaria.
5 main species of Malaria.
Which are most common?
Plasmodium falciparum (most common)
Plasmodium vivax (second to most)
Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium knowlesii
Vector of malaria.
Female Anopheles mosquito
Common places for contraction of malaria.
Subsaharan Africa
Southeast asia
Central and south america
Incubation period of malaria.
A minimum of 6 days.
In Plasmodium falciparum by 4 weeks
In Plasmodium vivax and ovale up to 1 year+
Symptom history of malaria.
Fever chills and sweats cycle every 3rd of 4th day.
Symptoms of malaria (can be ambiguous and vary).
Headache
Fever
Muscular fatigue and pain
Back pain
Chills and sweating
Respiratory with dry cough
Splenomegaly
Nausea
Vomiting
Upon examination. What are you likely to find suspecting malaria.
Often few signs except fever and sometimes splenomegaly
