Travel-related infections Flashcards
Give seven important imported infections
Malaria Typhoid Dengue Fever Schistosomiasis Rickettsiosis Viral haemorrhagic fevers Zika fever
What vector is responsible for spreading malaria?
female Anopheles mosquito
What parasite(s) are responsible for causing malaria?
Plasmodium spp:
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Plasmodium vivax
- Plasmodium ovale
- Plasmodium malariae
- Plasmodium knowlesi
What are the symptoms of malaria?
Fever Rigors Aching bones Abdo pain Headache Dysuria Frequency Sore throat Cough
What signs are present in malaria?
None to begin with
Later the patient may develop splenomegaly, hepatomegaly and mild jaundice
Give six potential complications of malaria
Cerebral malaria (encephalopathy) Blackwater fever Pulmonary oedema Jaundice Severe anaemia Algid malaria (gram-negative septicaemia)
How is malaria diagnosed?
Thick and thin blood films and microscopy
Parasites seen inside RBCs: signet ring in shape, often stuck to inside lining of red cell
Give two drugs used to treat malaria
Quinine
Artemisinins
What causes typhoid fever?
Infection of the bloodstream with salmonella typhi or salmonella paratyphi
Describe the clinical course of typhoid fever
1st week: fever, headache, abdo discomfort, cough, bradycardia, neutrophilia, confusion
2nd week: fever, rose spots, diarrhoea, tachycardia, neutropenia
3rd week: complications
4th week: recovery
Describe the classic presentation of dengue
Sudden fever Headache/retro-orbital pain Myalgia/arthralgia Macular/maculopapular rash Haemorrhagic signs
Give two potential complications of dengue fever
Dengue haemorrhagic fever
Dengue shock syndrome
Give three organisms that can cause schistosomiasis
Parasitic flatworms:
Schistosoma haematobium
Schistosoma mansoni
Schistosoma japonicum
List the clinical stages of schistosomiasis
Swimmers itch Invasive stage Katayama fever Acute disease Chronic disease (can cause neurological symptoms)
How is schistosomiasis diagnosed?
Clinical diagnosis
Antibody tests
Ova in stools and urine
Rectal snip
What drug is used to treat schistosomiasis?
Praziquantel
prednisolone if severe
Give four infections that can cause viral haemorrhagiv fever
Ebola
Congo-crimea haemorrhagic fever
Lassa fever
Marburg disease
