Infection Flashcards
(101 cards)
Give some examples of ways a patient could get an infection
STI Vector Airborne droplets Contaminated food or water From another part of the patient
What is an infection and how does it cause disease?
Invasion of a hosts tissue by microorganisms.
Disease caused by microbial multiplication, toxin production and host response
What is the difference between horizontal and vertical transmission?
Horizontal is via contact/inhalation/ingestion
Vertical is mother to child before or after birth
What are the stages of disease?
Exposure, adherence, invasion, multiplication, dissemination
What are some determinants of disease?
Pathogen - virulence factor, inoculum size and anti microbial resistance
Patient - site and co morbidities
How do we know if a patient has an infection?
History - symptoms/exposure
Examination - organ dysfunction
Investigation - full blood count, C-reactive protein, imaging
What are the 4 types of microbe?
Virus, bacteria, fungi and parasites
What are the different types of virus?
DNA/RNA, Single/double strand, enveloped/non enveloped
What are some different types of bacteria?
Crocus, spirillus, bacillus
Give some examples of types of parasites and fungi
Parasite - Protozoa/worms
Fungi - yeast/molds
Outline an infection model
A patient and pathogen come together and an infection occurs. It is then managed before an outcome is reached
How could we class antibacterial drugs?
Bactericidal/bacteriostatic
Broad/narrow spectrum
Target side
Chemical structure
What would be the ideal features of an anti microbial?
Selective toxicity, few side effects, reaches site of infection, can be given orally or IV, long half life and doesn’t interfere with other drugs
What are the main classes of antibiotic and give an example of each
Cell wall synthesis - B lactam/glycopeptide
Protein synthesis - tetracycline, aminoglycoside, macrolide
Cell membrane function - polymixin
Nucleic acid synthesis - quinolones
Outline the mechanism of action for penicillin
Inhibit the penicillin binding proteins which stops the catalysing of cross links in bacterial cell walls
How can antibiotic resistance develop?
Drug inactivating enzymes produced
Target altered
Uptake altered - decrease permeability/increase efflux
What is SIRS?
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome Any two of: Temperature 38 Heart rate >90/min Respiratory rate >20/min WBC 12x10^9
What is bacteraemia?
Presence of bacteria in the blood
What is sepsis?
Systemic response to infection - SIRS + documented/suspected infection
What is severe sepsis and septic shock?
SIRS + organ dysfunction/hypoperfusion
Sepsis + low BP despite receiving IVF
Outline the inflammatory cascade
Endotoxins stimulates local production of cytokines to start inflammatory response and promote wound repair. They enter the circulation and stimulate GF, macrophages and playelets to try and restore homeostasis.
SIRS - homeostasis not restored
How is coagulation caused in SIRS and what are the potential consequences?
Cytokines initiate thrombin production and inhibit fibrinolysis. Causes microvascular thrombosis and therefore ischaemia, dysfunction and failure
What other investigations should be done to confirm sepsis?
FBC, PCR, CRP, blood sugar, liver function, blood gas
What are the sepsis six?
High O2 flow Blood cultures IV antibiotics Serum lactate IVF resuscitation Urine output measurement