Infectious Disease: Diarrhea

Question 1

What are the two leading infectious causes of death worldwide?

Answer 1

1) Pneumonia

2) Diarrhea

Question 2

What is the age group preferentially affected by the two leading infectious causes of death worldwide?

Answer 2

The young and the old

Question 3

What is the leading cause of morbidity and death with diarrhea?

Answer 3

Dehydration

Leads to:

• Decrease pulse volume
• Low BP
• Poor skin turgor
• Sunken eyes
• Decreased urine
• Decreased MS
• Metabolic acidosis
• Hypoglycemia
• Hypokalemia

Question 4

What is the most reversible cause of morbidity and death with diarrhea?

Answer 4

Dehyration!

Tx: rehydration

Question 5

Describe inflammatory diarrhea clinically and anatomically

Answer 5

Anatomy:
- Upper small bowel

Clinically:
- Watery

Question 6

Describe non-inflammatory diarrhea clinically and anatomically

Answer 6

Anatomy:
- Colon

Clinically

• Pt is febrile
• Fecal WBC and RBC

Question 7

Name 3 organisms that cause inflammatory diarrhea

Answer 7

• Campylobacter jejuni
• Shingella
• Salmonella
• E. coli O157:H7
• C diff
• E. histolytica

Question 8

Name 3 organisms that cause non-inflammatory diarrhea

Answer 8

• Cholera
• ETEC
• Norovirus
• Rotavirus
• Giardia

Question 9

What is the leading cause of acute bacterial diarrhea in the US for all ages?

Answer 9

Campylobacter jejuni

fun fact: can lead to GBS

Question 10

Describe the predominant cause of nosocomial diarrhea

Answer 10

C. diff!

• Gram (+) rod
• Leading (and virtually the only) cause!
• Happens when you’re in the hospital for >3 days — associated w/ antibiotic use
• Sx: Mild diarrhea, watery or bloody, maybe febrile, leukocytosis, severe colitis