Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Compartmental models in epidemiology wikipedia , lookup
Focal infection theory wikipedia , lookup
Public health genomics wikipedia , lookup
Transmission (medicine) wikipedia , lookup
Hygiene hypothesis wikipedia , lookup
Canine distemper wikipedia , lookup
Infection control wikipedia , lookup
Week 5 Learning Objectives Respiratory Tract Infections: Compare and contrast the clinical features (symptoms and signs) and natural history of viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections Viral infections of the respiratory system will most likely affect the upper respiratory tract. Bacterial infections on the other hand, are responsible for most cases of pneumonia and are generally involved further down the respiratory tract. As a result, the symptoms for both can quite often be distinguishable as generally affect two different sections of the respiratory system. Viral infections include Acute Coryza (common cold) and Influenza (flu) and will usually affect passages of the upper airways. Clinical features of a viral respiratory tract infection commonly include but not limited to (can vary depending on virus): Unproductive Cough Fever Sore Throat Nasal Blockage Nasal Discharge usually green/yellow Vomiting Patients will usually present with a general feeling of sickness including one or more of the aforementioned symptoms. Viral infections of the upper respiratory tract will often have very rapid onset. Most of these types of infections will not require treatment, though Paracetamol is commonly used to relieve symptoms. Bacterial infections are the most common cause of community and hospital acquired pneumonia. These infections can be a secondary infection caused by a preceding viral infection in the upper respiratory tract. For example, a patient may present with pneumonia after they have just immediately had or is still having a severe case of influenza. The history of the presenting illness will often show a common cold or flu that has progressively worsened. Symptoms of the bacterial induced pneumonia include, but are not limited to: Systematic features o Fever o Rigors o Shivering Vomiting Painful Unproductive Cough (at first) Cough with Mucosporulent Sputum (later) Pleuritic Chest Pain Upper Abdominal Tenderness Antibiotic Resistance Briefly describe the consequences of antibiotic resistance at the individual and population health levels Antibiotic resistance poses a considerable threat to the population at large. Since the discovery of Penicillin, antibiotics have been heavily used to control bacterial infections. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics would severely hinder the capability to control these infections. The population of greatest concern would be hospital patient, particularly those who have impaired immune systems. Immunosupressed individuals will have very little resistance to infections and rely heavily on antibiotics. If they were to be infected by a drug-resistant microorganism such as MRSA, antibiotic treatment will not be effective, limiting the physician’s capacity to assist. A large problem also lies with the development of more antibiotic resistant organisms. We currently have a range of drugs that can help combat bacterial infections but the rapid rate of evolution and adaptation that microorganisms undergo increases their ability to build resistance to these drugs. We may potentially run out of effective agents, eliminating the advantage of antibiotics altogether. Outline measures to reduce its occurrence The most common error that leads to antibiotic resistance is the inappropriate use of the drug. Antibiotics should only ever be used in situations that have been deemed appropriate. Every time a bacterium encounters one of these drugs, there is a very small chance that it can develop an immunity though mutation, natural selection or by acquiring it from another microorganism. Prolific overuse of a drug will increase the chances of an organism developing resistance to it, as is the case with the original Penicillin. Limiting these chances is paramount to preventing resistance. As a result, antibiotics should only be prescribed under these circumstances: The target organism must be fully susceptible to the effects of the agent. An appropriate target route and administration must be given to ensure no dose is “wasted”. Prescription must acknowledge of current local patterns of antimicrobial resistance. A dose must be effectively calculated and delivered. These measures will ensure that inappropriate dosages are given, minimizing the opportunity for microorganisms to develop resistance. These also ensure that whatever organism is exposed to the drug is eliminated, preventing the re-growth and re-culture of a drug resistant form of the same organism.