SPR L1 Childhood Exanthems and Selected Skin Manifestations Flashcards
What is an Exathem?
A skin rash
What do the following agents cause?
- HSV
- Varicella
- Enterovirus
- Erythrovirus B19
- Measles Virus
- Rubella Virus
- Vesicular Lesions
- Chickenpox shingles
- Rashes
- Rash
- Measles
- Rubella
Childhood exanthems - what are the key agents?
HSV
Varicella
Enterovirus
Erythrovirus B19
Measles Virus
Rubella Virus
+ arthropod infestations (lice, mites, myiasis
Learning Outcomes
- Describe herpes simplex and varicella infections
- Describe the epidemiology and clinical aspects of the common childhood exanthems (enterovirus rashes, erythrovirus B19, measles, rubella)
- Briefly describe arthropod skin infections.
Which agents cause vesicular skin lesions?
HSV and Varicella
Which agents cause exanthems?
enterovirus rashes, erythrovirus B19, measles, rubella
What are the subfamilies of Herpes?
- Alpha-herpesvirus
- HSV-1
- HSV-2
- VZV
- Beta-herpesvirus
- CMV
- Gamma-herpesvirus
- EBV
Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
- When is it acquired?
- Describe it’s size
- What are the two types?
- How are they distinguishable?
- What is the basic lesion seen?
- How is the infection transmitted?
- Mostly in early childhood
- medium-sized (120 nm), double-stranded DNA
- HSV1 (oral and genital infections) and HSV2 (genital infections)
- distinguishable antigenically.
- Intraepithelial vesicle
- from the saliva or cold sores of other individuals.
HSV infection
- Where does the virus replicate?
- Outline what happens during the primary infection (e.g. gingivostomatitis)?
- Where does the latent virus remain?
- What happens when the lesion resolves?
- in oral mucosa/skin - virus rich VESICLES
- virus enters sensory nerve endings
–transported to the dorsal root (trigeminal) ganglion
–latent infection in sensory neurones
- In the sensory ganglion.
- antibody / CMI responses develop.
latent virus remains in the sensory ganglion for life,
& can reactivate (2ndry infection) to cause cold sores.
HSV
Where can a primary and secondary infection occur in , give examples?
- the eye
- conjunctivitis and keratitis, often with vesicles on the eyelids
- the finger
- herpetic whitlow
- other skin sites
- the genital tract
(see previous STI lecture)
Give examples of some complications associated with HSV
- Eczema herpeticum
- herpetic infection of eczematous skin areas leading to severe disease in young children
- acute encephalitis (in CNS lecture)
- following either primary infection or reactivation
- neonatal infection acquired from the genital tract of the mother
- immunocompromised individuals
- very severe disease
What can HSV reactivation be provoked by?
- febrile illnesses
- (e.g. common cold, pneumonia)
- direct sunlight (UV)
- stress
- trauma
- ?menstruation
- immunocompromise.
What is a sensory prodrome?
A sensory prodrome in the affected area (feeling pins and needles, pain, burning, and itching) precedes the appearance of the coldsore
HSV Treatment
- What is the main treatment?
- How does it act, what is a benefit?
- What are the alternatives?
- When must the main drug be given IV?
- Aciclovir, Oral or IV, or supression (continuous low dose)
- acts specifically in virus-infected cells - Because Viral Thymidine kinase activates the drug, so it is well tolerated
- valaciclovir (valine ester of aciclovir), famciclovir (modified aciclovir with a longer half life)
- for encephalitis or disseminated HSV infection
& in immunocompromised individuals..
HSV Diagnosis
How can HSV be diagnosed?
- Direct detection in lesion
- PCR - Most sensitive
- Older methods = Culture antigen detection, Less sensitive
- Serology
- IgM
- IgG
- Type specific serology
- Or real time detection using a fluorescent probe