PUO and Endocarditis Flashcards
What is the definition of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO)
Fever higher than 38.3 on several occasions, persisting without diagnosis for at least 3 weeks in spite of at least 1 weeks investigations in hospital
What are the causes of PUO (5)
Infection Neoplasm Connective Tissue disease Undiagnosed Miscellaneous causes
What are the subclasses of PUO (4)
Classical PUO
Healthcare associated PUO
Immune deficiency PUO
HIV related PUO (always do an HIV test in A&E)
What are the causes of classical PUO (8)
Abscesses Endocarditis Tuberculosis Complicated urinary tract infections Fever in the returning traveller causes HIV Connective tissue disease/Vasculitis Neoplasms
Male Age- 58, admitted June 2009 p/c: 3 week history of fever, chills , back pain Diabetic WCC 36; neut 33.7 CRP 169 Initial blood cultures negative. Discitis and endocarditis diagnosed via imaging. MSSA bacteraemia.
What is the diagnosis?
Metastatic staphylococcal disease.
Management: MDT infection/cardiology/cardiothoracic
What is discitis
Abscess in epidural space
What is seen on echo of a patient with endocarditis
Vegetations on aortic valve
What are the most common causes of fever in a returning traveller (8)
Malaria Dengue Typhoid Richettsia Bacterial diarrhoea UTI Brucella....indolent Viral haemorrhagic fever - RARE but think of it
60 year old woman p/c: Admitted with a 3 day history of headache fever and nausea Returned from a 10 day trip to India Past history of dengue Previous treated TB Purpuric rash on trunk
What could be causing the rash? (4)
Dengue
Malaria
Rickettsial infection
Typhoid
Malaria films –ve Dengue serology –ve Blood cultures -ve Serology; IgM and IgG antibodies against the rickettsia‘spotted fever group’ positive
What are spotted fevers
Emerging/re-emerging pathogens - RICKETTSIA
What are the vectors for spotter fevers (3)
Tick, mite, flea borne (ZOONOSES)
What type of bacteria is spotted fever
Small gram negative bacteria
What are two examples of spotted fevers (2)
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - USA
Spotted Fever - India
How is spotted fever diagnosed
Serology
What is the treatment for spotted fever
Doxycycline
What is the best clue to the cause of PUO in a returning traveller
CAREFUL travel history essential
What should you NOT do in healthcare associated PUO
Don’t just start antibiotics (unless septic)
What are the causes of healthcare associated PUO (6)
Post surgical - collection, wound infection
Catheter related UTI
Line related bacteraemia…peripheral
Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in ITU
Clostridium difficile colitis in in elderly patients, antibiotics, hospital/healthcare contact
What gives you the best clue for the cause of healthcare associated PUO
Examining the patient
What does clostridium difficile do to WCC
Massively raised
What are some causes of hospital acquired pneumonia (3)
Mostly gram negative bacteria
Rarely legionella
Iatrogenic from infected staff and relatives (flu!)
What safety nets are in place to help reduce hospital causes of pneumonia (3)
DoH documents, White paper.
Care bundles now
Record all insertions of central lines
What is seen in immune deficiency pyrexia of unknown origin
Neutropenic fever
Neutrophils <0.5
What is the most common cause of neutropenic fever
Bone marrow transplant patients