Infectious Diseases

Traditionally only those physicians with many years of experience in a particular speciality chose to commit their accumulated knowledge to print for general consumption. Although of relatively tender years I can remember and sympathize with the problems of learning the 'Infectious Disease Trade' as a medical student and later as a junior hospital doctor. This book is an attempt to journey through and remedy my ignorance-in­ retrospect. I have thus attempted to provide an unashamedly clinical intro­ duction to Infectious Diseases which is of particular interest and use to medical students and junior hospital staff, especially those about to enter General Practice. I hope I have succeeded. Suggested further reading Christie, A. B. (1974). Infectious Diseases: Epidemiology and Clinical Practice. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone) Hoeprich, P. D. (1977). Infectious Diseases. (London: Harper and Row) Ramsay, A. M. and Emond, R. T. D. (1978). Infectious Diseases. (London: Heinemann Medical Books) Youmans, G. P. , Paterson, P. Y. and Sommers, H. M. (1975). The Biologic and Clinical Basis of Infectious Disease. (W. B. Saunders Company) 1 1 Infection and infectious diseases: basic principles INTRODUCTION Infection may be defined as an abnormal state caused by multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in or on the body of a host: this may cause disease, have no observable effect, or may even be of benefit to an infected host.

1 Infection and infectious diseases: basic principles.- Criteria of pathogenicity.- The host's natural defences.- Diagnosis of infection.- Infection and the blood.- Isolation of patients.- 2 Bacterial infection.- A clinically biased account of common pathogenic bacteria.- Other notable pathogenic bacteria.- Commonly used antibacterial drugs: a brief review.- 3 Viral infections.- Mechanisims of viral pathogenicity.- A clinically biased account of common pathogenic viruses.- Therapy of viral infections.- 4 Fungal infections.- Superficial fungal infections.- Intermediate fungal infections.- Deep fungal infections.- Therapy of fungal infections.- 5 Protozoal infections.- Amoebic infections.- Babesosis.- Giardia lamblia.- Leismaniasis.- Malaria.- Pneumocystis carinii.- Toxoplasma gondii.- Trichomonas vaginalis.- Trypanosomiasis.- 6 Worm infections.- Cestodes.- Nematodes.- Trematodes.- 7 Other infections.- Chlamydia.- Insects.- Rickettsial infections.- Presumed infections.- 8 Respiratory tract infections.- Childhood respiratory tract infections.- Repiratory tract infections common to adults and children.- 'Typical' bacterial pneumonias.- 'Non-typical' pneumonias.- Sore throats and mouths.- 9 Jaundice.- Mechanisms of jaundice.- Clinical identification of the mechanisms of jaundice.- TFurther investigations of the mechanism of jaundice.- Clinical syndromes.- Infections associated with diffuse cholestasis.- Treatment of hepatitis.- Prognosis of hepatitis.- 10 Persistent pyrexias of unknown origin.- Persistent pyrexias in 'non-tropical' patients.- Febrile patients from the tropics and sub-tropics.- Febrile patients who have left Africa within the previous 3 weeks.- 11 Superficial manifestations of infectious diseases.- Three common childhood rashes.- Cutaneousmanifestations of other infectious diseases.- Cutaneous manifestations of other aetiologies.- Occupational infectious diseases associated with rashes.- Cutaneous manifestations of tropical diseases.- Genital manifestations of sexually transmitted disease.- Cutaneous manifestations of 'parainfectious' diseases.- Drug eruptions.- 12 Infection-related diseases of the nervous system.- Pyogenic meningitis; the three common pathogens.- Other causes of pyogenic meningitis.- Neonatal meningitis.- Lymphocytic meningitis: the three common pathogens.- Other causes of lymphocytic meningitis.- Uncommon infective causes of a lymphocytic meningitis.- Infection-related central nervous system illnesses associated with a normal or non-specific cerebrospinal fluid.- Slow virus infections.- Complications of acute meningitis.- Infection-related diseases which have their predominant effects on the peripheral nervous system.- Abscess formation affecting the nervous system.- Investigations in suspected nervous system infections.- 13 Vomiting and diarrhoea.- Infections in which vomiting is usually a predominant feature.- Infections in which diarrhoea is usually a predominant feature.- Infections in which either vomiting or diarrhoea may predominate.- The differential diagnosis of infection-related vomiting and diarrhoea.- Non-infectious diarrhoeas which may simulate infection-related diarrhoea.- Theoretical background to fluid and electrolyte balance.- Clinical assessment of water and metabolite balance.- The practical approach to therapy in patients with vomiting and diarrhoea of infective aetiology.- Guides to the progress of therapy.- Re-introduction of normal feeding.- 14 Prevention of infectious diseases.- Production of immunity.- Aspects of specific immunizations.- Live vaccines.-Vaccines prepared from inactivated bacterial cells.- Vaccines prepared from inactivated viral cells.- Toxoid preparations.- Variable preparations.- Immunizations for travel to tropical areas.- 15 Practical procedures in infectious diseases.- The cerebrospinal fluid: routine observations.- Further investigations of the cerebrospinal fluid.- A suggested scheme for taking blood from patients who have hepatitis B.- 16 Notification of infectious diseases.- Practical aspects of the treatment of infection.- Tropical check-ups.