W7/Micro Prac: BSI

Question 1

Define bacteraemia

Answer 1

Bacteria in the blood

Question 2

Define septicaemia

Answer 2

Bacteria or bacterial products in the blood leading to a systemic response & symptoms

Question 3

Define sepsis

Answer 3

A set of symptoms associated with septicaemia:

• Fever/hypothermia
• Tachycardia and or tachypnoea
• Leukopoenia or leukocytosis

Question 4

Define septic shock

Answer 4

Sepsis with severe hypotension

Question 5

What does SIRS stand for?

Answer 5

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Question 6

What is SIRS

Answer 6

Sepsis-like symptoms from non-infectious causes (eg massive trauma)

Question 7

What are the common gram positive causes of septicaemia?

Answer 7

Staph aureus
Strep pyogenes
Staph epidermidis
Viridans strep
Strep pneumoniae
Enterococcus spp.

Question 8

What are the common gram negative causes of septicaemia?

Answer 8

E. coli
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Klebsiella spp.
Enterobacter spp.
Neisseria meningitidis

Question 9

What are some other common causes of septicaemia?

Answer 9

Candida

Rickettsiae

Question 10

How many blood samples should you take for diagnosis of septicaemia?

Answer 10

6:

3 sets of 1x aerobic incubation and 1x anaeobic incubation

Question 11

Almost all staph aureuses are resistant to _____, via production of ______

Answer 11

Penicillin

Beta-lactamases

Question 12

Staph aureus resistance to methicillin is via:

Answer 12

The mecA gene which gives altered PBPs

Question 13

What do we use as a substitute to test methicillin resistance and why?

Answer 13

Cefoxitin, as the mode of resistance is the same