Session 5 Flashcards
(17 cards)
What are the key aspects when taking a travel history?
Where? When? How? Accommodation How long? Specific risks eg sexual contact Preventative measures?
Why is someone’s travel history important?
Imported diseases (rare/unknown in the UK) Different strains of a pathogen Infection prevention (on the ward and laboratory)
What are the 4 main species that cause Malaria?
Plasmodium falciparum
Vivax
Ovale
Malariae
What is the vector for Malaria?
Female Anopheles mosquito
Do you get case to case spread with Malaria?
No because it needs a female Anopheles mosquito as a vector
Where does Malaria usually occur?
In the tropics (eg Africa, Asia, Middle East, S. America)
What is the incubation period for Malaria?
1-3 weeks (or longer) after the bite
What is the usual history for Malaria?
Headache Cough Fatigue Malaise Arthralgia (joint pain) Myalgia (muscle pain)
What is the investigation/treatment for Malaria?
Blood smear
FBC, U&E, LFTs, glucose
Head CT (if CNS symptoms)
How can you prevent Malaria?
Knowledge of risk areas
Bite prevention eg repellent, nets, clothing
Chemoprophylaxis (start before and continue after return)
What are the symptoms & signs of Typhoid fever?
Fever
Headache
Stomach pain
Constipation
Why does Typhoid spread more easily in areas of poor sanitation?
Because the mechanism of infection is the faecal-oral route from contaminated food or water
What can cause Typhoid?
Salmonella enteric serovar - typhi/paratyphi A, B or C
How do you treat Typhoid fever?
Ceftriaxone or azithromycin for 7-14 days as Ciprofloxacin resistance is now common.
How can you prevent Typhoid?
Food and huge in precautions
Vaccines for high risk travel and lab workers (Vi capsular polysaccharide antigen or live attenuated vaccine)
What are non typhoidal salmonella infections?
Food poisoning salmonellas - salmonella typhimurium, S. Enteritidis
Diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and abdominal pain
What is Brucellosis?
A primary animal pathogen (that is a zoonosis)
Brucella abortus, B. Melitensis, Gram negative coccobacillus.
S. Europe, S. America, Africa, Asia
Transmits trough skin breaks & GI tract
Diagnosed using blood cultures
Treated with doxycycline and rifampicin
