16 October 2010

Campylobacter Enteritis Antibiotic Treatment

Campylobacter Enteritis General Comments:
  • Role of antibiotics is controversial.
  • Erythromycin can rapidly eliminate Campylobacter from the stool.
  • Erythromycin has not been shown to affect the duration of illness.
  • Campylobacter jejuni dysentry in children, may show benefit from early treatment with erythromycin.
  • In children, avoid tetracyclines & quinolones.
Public Health Issues:
  • Multiple antibiotic resistance may be seen in Campylobacter acquired from animals because of the widespread use of antibiotics in animals.
  • Quinolone use has also been withdrawn from commercial poulty farming in the USA because of rising ciprofloxacin resistance.
Indications For Antibiotics:
  • Bloody diarrhoea
  • High fever
  • Illness lasting for over a week
  • Immunocompromise
  • More than 8 stools daily
  • Pregnancy
  • Worsening clinical condition
Antibiotics Useful:
  • Azithromycin
  • Erythromycin
  • Quinolones
References:
  • Nelson JM, Chiller TM, Powers JH, et al. Fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter species and the withdrawal of fluoroquinolones from use in poultry: a public health success story. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Apr 1;44(7):977-80. Epub 2007 Feb 14. [abstract]
  • Shea KM. Nontherapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in animal agriculture: implications for pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2004 Sep;114(3):862-8. [abstract]

Tags: Antibiotics - Azithromycin - Campylobacter - Campylobacter enteritis - Erythromycin - Poultry
Posted by Medicalchemy
Medicalchemy Group: Images - Mnemonics - Cardiology - Dermatology - Drugs - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Genetics - Haematology - Immunology - Infection - Metabolic Medicine - Neuroscience - Nutrition - Oncology - Ophthalmology - Pathology - Pharmacology - Respiratory - Toxicology - Vascular.

10 October 2010

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)

SIRS criteria met if 2 or more of following signs are present:
  • Temperature > 38°C (100.4°F) or < 36°C (96.8°F).
  • Pulse > 90 beats/min.
  • Respiratory Rate (RR) > 20 breaths/min (or partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood [PaCO2] <>
  • White blood cell count (WBC) > 12,000/mm3 or <> 10% immature bands).

Source: Consensus Conference of the American College of Chest Physicians and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Tags:
Fever - Leukocytosis - Leukopaenia -
SIRS - Tachypnoea
Posted by Medicalchemy
Medicalchemy Group: Images - Mnemonics - Cardiology - Dermatology - Drugs - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Haematology - Infection - Neuroscience
- Pathology - Pharmacology
- Toxicology