summary of infectious diseases

Question 1

What is in the infectious disease history?

Answer 1

Travel
Vaccine and prophylaxis hx
Occupation
Food/drink
Recreational
Sexual
Animal contacts
Special med procedures
Contacts

Question 2

What are the commonest problems with travel?

Answer 2

Diarrhoea (E.coli, salmonella, canpylobacter, viral)
Resp tract infection (viral eg legionella)
UTI
Skin/soft tissue infection (insect bites)
Hep A
Malaria, typhoid
GI protozoa
Schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis
Viral haemorrhaging fevers (Ebola, Lassa, Marburgh, CCHF)
High consequence resp infection

Question 3

What should be asked in the vaccine history?

Answer 3

Diarrhoea (E.coli, salmonella, canpylobacter, viral)
Resp tract infection (viral eg legionella)
UTI
Skin/soft tissue infection (insect bites)
Hep A
Malaria, typhoid
GI protozoa
Schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis
Viral haemorrhaging fevers (Ebola, Lassa, Marburg, CCHF)
High consequence resp infection

Question 4

What are occupational hazards?

Answer 4

Health care- eg blood borne
Farm workers- eg Leptospirosis
Sewage workers- eg Hep A
Sex workers- eg HIV
Pet shop owners- eg psittacosis
Abattoir workers- eg anthrax

Question 5

What could be relevant in the sport history?

Answer 5

Canoeist- eg Leptospirosis
Swimmers- eg fungal infection
Cavers- eg Marburg
Trekkers- eg Lyme disease
Rugby- HSV

Question 6

What is relevant in drug history?

Answer 6

IV drugs- eg Hep B/C
Alcohol- eg TB
Cannabis- eg Pneumonia

Question 7

What is relevant in the pet history?

Answer 7

Dogs- eg. Campylobacter
Cats- eg. Toxoplasma
Rodents- eg. Rat bite fever
Reptiles- eg. Salmonella
Tropical fish- eg. Mycobacterium marinum

Question 8

What is relevant past med history?

Answer 8

Head injury- meningitis
Cancer
Immunosuppression drugs
Splenectomy
Dentistry- endocarditis
Previous hx of infectious disease
Special med procedures- blood transfusion, IV cannula, prosthetics, IUCD, body piercing

Question 9

What signs can you look for?

Answer 9

RESPONSE TO INFECTION
Systemic- fever, viral signs, CRP/white cells, rashes
Local- inflam, destruction, abscess

Question 10

What test can you send?

Answer 10

Sterile site- blood, CSF, urine, bone/joint

Non sterile site- skin, gut, resp tract

Detect specific immune response
-antibody/cell mediated