NURS 5463 EXAM 3 | INFECTIOUS DISEASES &
SHOCK| QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)? - Answers - CAP is acquired outside
of healthcare settings, with symptoms including cough, fever, dyspnea, and chest pain.
Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, physical exam, and chest X-ray.
What are common pathogens associated with Community-Acquired Pneumonia? -
Answers - Common pathogens include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus
influenzae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
What is Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia (HCAP)? - Answers - HCAP occurs in
patients with recent healthcare exposure and can be caused by more resistant
organisms like MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
How is Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia diagnosed? - Answers - Diagnosis includes a
more extensive workup such as blood cultures and sputum cultures, along with
aggressive antibiotic treatment.
What are the complications of fungal infections in immunocompromised patients? -
Answers - Complications may include disseminated infections, respiratory failure,
meningitis, and invasive candidiasis leading to organ failure.
What are common fungal infections? - Answers - Common fungal infections include
Candida, Aspergillus, and Histoplasmosis.
What is the workup for Staphylococcus/MRSA infections? - Answers - Diagnosis is
made through blood cultures, sputum cultures, and imaging.
Who is at higher risk for MRSA infections? - Answers - Patients with recent healthcare
exposure, chronic diseases, dialysis, indwelling catheters, or recent antibiotic use are at
higher risk.
What is the treatment for MRSA infections? - Answers - Empiric therapy should include
vancomycin or linezolid, along with drainage of abscesses and debridement.
What measures can be taken to reduce the spread of MRSA? - Answers - Proper
infection control measures include hand hygiene, contact precautions, and isolation of
affected patients.
What is the difference between meningitis and encephalitis? - Answers - Meningitis is
inflammation of the meninges, while encephalitis is inflammation of the brain itself.
, What are the common pathogens causing bacterial meningitis? - Answers - Common
pathogens include Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Listeria.
What is the treatment for bacterial meningitis? - Answers - Bacterial meningitis requires
urgent treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics like ceftriaxone or vancomycin.
What causes viral meningitis and how is it treated? - Answers - Viral meningitis is often
caused by enteroviruses or herpes simplex virus and is treated supportively, with
antivirals like acyclovir for herpes if needed.
What are the common causes of encephalitis? - Answers - Common causes include
HSV, varicella-zoster, or arboviruses.
What are the symptoms of encephalitis? - Answers - Symptoms may include altered
mental status, seizures, and neurological deficits.
How is bacterial encephalitis treated? - Answers - Bacterial encephalitis requires prompt
treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
What is included in an infectious workup? - Answers - An infectious workup includes
blood cultures, sputum cultures, urinalysis, imaging, lumbar puncture for CSF analysis,
and PCR testing for viral infections.
What is the purpose of a lumbar puncture in infectious disease diagnosis? - Answers - A
lumbar puncture is performed for suspected meningitis or encephalitis to analyze
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
What imaging techniques are used to evaluate pneumonia or abscesses? - Answers -
Imaging techniques include chest X-ray or CT scan.
What is PCR testing used for in infectious disease? - Answers - PCR testing is used for
detecting viral infections like influenza or COVID-19.
What are the complications associated with Daptomycin? - Answers - Muscle toxicity,
rhabdomyolysis (check creatine kinase levels), risk of eosinophilic pneumonia.
What labs should be monitored when using Daptomycin? - Answers - Monitor CK
(creatine kinase) and renal function (BUN, creatinine).
How can complications from Daptomycin be reduced? - Answers - Avoid using with
statins due to increased risk of muscle damage and monitor CK levels regularly.
What complications are associated with Zosyn (Piperacillin/Tazobactam)? - Answers -
Hypersensitivity reactions (rash, anaphylaxis), risk of Clostridium difficile diarrhea, renal
toxicity.
SHOCK| QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)? - Answers - CAP is acquired outside
of healthcare settings, with symptoms including cough, fever, dyspnea, and chest pain.
Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, physical exam, and chest X-ray.
What are common pathogens associated with Community-Acquired Pneumonia? -
Answers - Common pathogens include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus
influenzae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
What is Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia (HCAP)? - Answers - HCAP occurs in
patients with recent healthcare exposure and can be caused by more resistant
organisms like MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
How is Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia diagnosed? - Answers - Diagnosis includes a
more extensive workup such as blood cultures and sputum cultures, along with
aggressive antibiotic treatment.
What are the complications of fungal infections in immunocompromised patients? -
Answers - Complications may include disseminated infections, respiratory failure,
meningitis, and invasive candidiasis leading to organ failure.
What are common fungal infections? - Answers - Common fungal infections include
Candida, Aspergillus, and Histoplasmosis.
What is the workup for Staphylococcus/MRSA infections? - Answers - Diagnosis is
made through blood cultures, sputum cultures, and imaging.
Who is at higher risk for MRSA infections? - Answers - Patients with recent healthcare
exposure, chronic diseases, dialysis, indwelling catheters, or recent antibiotic use are at
higher risk.
What is the treatment for MRSA infections? - Answers - Empiric therapy should include
vancomycin or linezolid, along with drainage of abscesses and debridement.
What measures can be taken to reduce the spread of MRSA? - Answers - Proper
infection control measures include hand hygiene, contact precautions, and isolation of
affected patients.
What is the difference between meningitis and encephalitis? - Answers - Meningitis is
inflammation of the meninges, while encephalitis is inflammation of the brain itself.
, What are the common pathogens causing bacterial meningitis? - Answers - Common
pathogens include Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Listeria.
What is the treatment for bacterial meningitis? - Answers - Bacterial meningitis requires
urgent treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics like ceftriaxone or vancomycin.
What causes viral meningitis and how is it treated? - Answers - Viral meningitis is often
caused by enteroviruses or herpes simplex virus and is treated supportively, with
antivirals like acyclovir for herpes if needed.
What are the common causes of encephalitis? - Answers - Common causes include
HSV, varicella-zoster, or arboviruses.
What are the symptoms of encephalitis? - Answers - Symptoms may include altered
mental status, seizures, and neurological deficits.
How is bacterial encephalitis treated? - Answers - Bacterial encephalitis requires prompt
treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
What is included in an infectious workup? - Answers - An infectious workup includes
blood cultures, sputum cultures, urinalysis, imaging, lumbar puncture for CSF analysis,
and PCR testing for viral infections.
What is the purpose of a lumbar puncture in infectious disease diagnosis? - Answers - A
lumbar puncture is performed for suspected meningitis or encephalitis to analyze
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
What imaging techniques are used to evaluate pneumonia or abscesses? - Answers -
Imaging techniques include chest X-ray or CT scan.
What is PCR testing used for in infectious disease? - Answers - PCR testing is used for
detecting viral infections like influenza or COVID-19.
What are the complications associated with Daptomycin? - Answers - Muscle toxicity,
rhabdomyolysis (check creatine kinase levels), risk of eosinophilic pneumonia.
What labs should be monitored when using Daptomycin? - Answers - Monitor CK
(creatine kinase) and renal function (BUN, creatinine).
How can complications from Daptomycin be reduced? - Answers - Avoid using with
statins due to increased risk of muscle damage and monitor CK levels regularly.
What complications are associated with Zosyn (Piperacillin/Tazobactam)? - Answers -
Hypersensitivity reactions (rash, anaphylaxis), risk of Clostridium difficile diarrhea, renal
toxicity.
