Viral Gastroenteritis Flashcards

1
Q

Define viral gastroenteritis [1]

A

inflammation of the stomach and intestines cased by virus(es) and characterised by diarrhoea and vomiting

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2
Q

Who is more susceptible to getting viral gastroenteritis? [3]

A
  1. Children under age 5
  2. Old age people especially in nursing home
  3. Immunocompromised
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3
Q

Name the viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis, and who does it affect? [7]

A
  1. Norovirus/Sapovirus (Calciviridae)
    • can affect all ages and healthy individuals but often most serious in young and elderly
  2. Rotavirus/Adenovirus/Astrovirus
    • affects mainly children under 2 years, elderly and immunocompromised
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4
Q

How is norovirus typically transmitted? [3]

A
  1. Person to Person
    • (faecal-oral, aerosolised e.g. by toilet flush, fomites)
  2. Food-borne
  3. Water
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5
Q

What are the typical symptoms of viral gastroenteritis caused by norovirus? [9]

A
  1. Can be asymptomatic
  2. Vomiting
  3. Diarrhoea
  4. Nausea
  5. Abdominal cramps
  6. Headache
  7. Muscle aches
  8. Fever (minority)
  9. Dehydration in young and elderly
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6
Q

How do you treat gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection? [5]

A
  • Symptomatic therapy
    1. Oral &/or IV fluids
    2. Antispasmodics
    3. Analgesics
    4. Antipyretics
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7
Q

Why is there no norovirus vaccine? [2]

A
  1. immunity only lasts for 6-14 weeks
  2. norovirus can’t be cultured
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8
Q

What infection control measures must be undertaken when a case of norovirus has been diagnosed? [6]

A
  1. Isolation or cohorting
  2. Exclude symptomatic staff until symptom free for 48 hours
  3. Do not move patients
  4. Do not admit new patients
  5. Thorough cleaning of ward/hotel/cruise ship/bus
    • 48 hours after last case symptomatic
    • With dilute hypochlorite or hot soapy water
  6. Patient/visitor/passenger/guest awareness
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9
Q

How is rotavirus typically transmitted? [3]

A
  1. Mainly person to person via faeco-oral or fomites
  2. Food and water borne spread is possible
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10
Q

What are the typical symptoms of rotavirus? [4]

A
  1. Watery diarrhoea
  2. Abdominal pain
  3. Vomiting
  4. Loss of electrolytes leading to dehydration
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11
Q

What are the complications of rotavirus? [5]

A
  1. Severe chronic diarrhoea
  2. Dehydration
  3. Electrolyte imbalance
  4. Metabolic acidosis
  5. Immunodeficient children may have more severe or persistent disease
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12
Q

How do you/can you develop immunity to rotavirus? [4]

A
  1. Antibodies against VP7 and VP4 and secretory IgA are important in immunity
  2. 1st infection usually severe but doesn’t lead to permanent immunity
  3. but subsequent infections less severe
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13
Q

How effective is the rotavirus vaccine? [1]

A

over 85% effective at protecting against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in the first 2 years of life

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14
Q

What are the symptoms of adenovirus 40 & 41 gastroenteritis? [2]

A
  1. fever
  2. watery diarrhoea
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15
Q

Most of these viruses can’t be cultured. So how do you diagnose them? [2]

A
  1. All these viruses are detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which detects the DNA or RNA
    • Testing done at Virology lab, GRI
  2. Samples: vomit or stool
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