Tropical Gastroenteritis Flashcards
Questions to ask returned traveller
Where have they been, when did they arrive and depart, onset of symptoms
Anyone else unwell they travelled with
Activities - Swimming/sex/animal contact/rural trip
Contaminated food/water/accomodation
Any precautions taken
Findings on examination
Fever, rash, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, insect bites, wounds
Infection control for returned travellers
Infection control, PPE recommended
Causes of bloody diarrhoea
E.ColiO157 or Amoebic colitis. Can also be campylobacter, salmonella, shigella
Profuse watery diarrhoea
Cholera, often associated with outbreaks in refugee caps
Cruise ships
Norovirus and Rotavirus
Investigation of travellers diarrhoea
Stool culture
Treatment for acute travellers diarrhoea
Supportive - Fluid rehydration (oral/IV)
Fluoroquinolone (Ciprofloxacin) single dose may stop worsening - 3-day course is recommended
Due to antibiotic resistance in Asia, macrolide such as Azithromycin may be more useful
Typhoid vs parathyphoid fever
Typhoid fever is casued by Salmonella typhi whereas parathyphoid fever is milder and caused by Salmonella paratyphi. They are both enteric fevers
Common cause of enteric fever in travellers returning from Indian subcontinent
Salmonella
Vaccination in enteric fever
Protection against typhoid no protection against paratyphoid
Investigating jaundice and fever
Blood film for malaria antigen, red cell fragmentation, FBC, LFT, UE, coagulation, blood cultures, US abdomen, serological test for viruses
Management and treatment of fever and jaundice
Supportive - Electrolyes, fluids, isolation, might need antibiotics
What causes amoebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, faecal-oral spread
Associated with poor sanitation
Symptoms of amoebiasis
Amoebic dysentry - abdominal pain, fever, bloody diarrhoea, collitis, peritonism
Investigating amoebiasis
Stool microscopy, may have cysts
AXR - Toxic megacolon
Endoscopy for biopsy
Complication of amoebiasis
Amoebic liver abscess
Manage with Metronidazole or TInidazole
What causes giardiasis
Giardia intestinalis - Flagellated protozoa
Invades duodenum and proximal jejunum
Symptoms of giardiasis
Watery, malodorous diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence, abdominal cramps, weight loss
differentiate amoebiasis and giardiasis
Amoebiasis has bloody diarrhoea whereas giardiasis has watery, malodorous diarrhoea
Treatment of giardiasis
Metronidazole or Tinidazole (5-day course)