Ch_5 - Infectious Disease Flashcards
(143 cards)
Below what temp is NOT a fever?
<38C (100.4F) is NOT a fever
T/F Persistent fever is more dangerous than a single elevation
True
Normal Rectal Temp can be __C (__F) (higher/lower) than oral temp
Normal Rectal Temp can be 0.5C (~1F) HIGER than oral temp
Fever + Hypotension/Tachycardia = ?
SIRS (danger)
Fever + Hypotension/Tachycardia + acidosis + confusion = ?
Likely Sepsis (worse danger)
Fever + Hypotension/Tachycardia + acidosis + confusion + AKI + lung failure = ??
Severe Sepsis (death is knocking)
Do not send a culture (except blood culture) without what?
evidence of infection
If a sputum culture grows Staph in a patient with pneumonia, what are the reasons for growing the Staph in the sputum culture?
- Contaminant from sloppy sample collection
- Colonization of mouth
- Colonization from endotracheal or tracheostomy tube.
- Possible PNA
If patient gets sepsis (fever + hypotension/tachycardia + confusion or metabolic acidosis, what should the patient get?
FLUIDS! – 500-1000 mL of NS
Blood cultures
and IV Antibiotics STAT!
Everyone with Unexplained fever needs (3)
Blood cultures (2 sets from different sites)
CXR
U/A
“Blood, lungs, and Urine”
If a patient presents with an obvious skin infection from cellulitis causing fever, does the pt need a UA?
No
Which cultures should you not do because they are useless or could be dangerous?
- No UCx unless UA shows WBCs
- No sputum Cx without a new infiltrate on CXR and pt produces no sputum.
- Do not swab a skin ulcer and send for Cx. Any ulcer will grow something, and they may not have caused the infection.
When NOT to do a Urine culture?
When UA shows no evidence of infection (eg, WBCs)
When not to do a sputum cx?
If there’s no infiltrate on CXR and pt doesn’t produce sputum
Should skin ulcer surfaces be swabbed and sent for culture?
No
What are the possible adverse consequences of unnecessary cultures?
- prolonged hospital stay
- giving antibiotics that have no benefits (but can harm)
- C. diff colitis diarrhea
- Resistant organisms
T/F Wound or Urine “colonization” should be treated with antibiotics
False, should not!
an elevated WBC count (leukocytosis) should be evaluated the same way as ???
Fever
A pt presents with an elevated white count. Now what?
1) look for/ask about a clear cause of infection (Urine, lung, skin are MC)
2) 2 blood Cx, UA, CXR
3) No UCx unless WBCs are in UA
4) No sputum Cx unless new infiltrate on CXR and sputum is produced
What about “pan-culture”
Don’t do it! The only thing you need for fever/high WBC is a blood culture (2). Do UCx only if UA is + for WBCs and no sputum culture unless indicated.
Urine culture done and shows E. coli and/or fungi. Now what?
if there’s no evidence of infection (eg, no WBCs on U/A) then don’t treat (exception is pregnant women).
E. coli growing from urine w/o WBCs or dysuria can be from?
- Colonization of Foley
- Contamination on urine collection
- “Clean catch” urine can be very hard to obtain in bedbound pts, esp women, demented.
blood cx can be contaminated with _____ from inadequate prep
skin bacteria (flora)
If blood cx grows an organism you have to make sure it’s…?
…a true infection and not a contaminant.