One of my trainees, who joined us as a year 1 infection trainee, recently passed part 1 FRCPath. I worked closely with him as a clinical supervisor. I asked him what tips he would give other trainees preparing for part 1. I think talking to you and looking at your Microregistrar and Facebook FRCPath blogs…
The Fungus: Identification: It initially forms white colonies with a yellow back, which quickly becomes black. Conidia is rough, brownish-black, biseriate, and covers the entire vesicle. A key feature in diagnosing A. niger infection is the presence of calcium oxalate crystals on pathological examination. The presence of crystals can be taken as an indication of A niger…
by Dr Saishruti Iyer (2021) I decided to appear for FRCPath sometime last year when a senior recommended that it would be a good escalation step in my career. I had not decided firmly as to when I would appear for the exam, and then, around June 2021, I decided that I would write it…
Nature of the antibiotic Semi-synthetic, pleuromutilin class.Molecular weight – 567.79 gm/mole Pleuromutilins Pleuromutilins (produced by Pleurotus sp.), discovered in the 1950s, have a tricyclic mutilin core.Tiamulin – the first member of this group, was approved for veterinary use in 1979.Retapamulin – topical pleuromutilin was approved for human use in 2007. Mechanism of action It inhibits protein…
Introduction Candida auris is a pathogen that has emerged as a global threat in recent years. It is the first human pathogenic fungus subject to international health alerts. The reason behind these concerns are – Public Health England reported in 2017 that almost all the C auris in the UK are fluconazole-resistant. There is also…
What is inflammation? Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a process that removes or reduces harmful stimuli to help with the healing process. Cardinal signs of inflammation: There are 5 cardinal signs of inflammation. They are – Loss…
Bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum is a Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming anaerobic pleomorphic bacterium. It may appear in coccobacillus or filamentous forms, which are more common in younger cultures. It is a member of the normal bacterial flora of the oropharynx, genitourinary tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Culture and identification There are 14 species of Fusobacterium, 10 of which…
Amphotericin B is a polyene antibiotic discovered in 1953 from the bacteria Streptomyces nodosus, in the Orinoco basin in Venezuela. Its name is derived from its amphoteric property, being able to react to both acid and base. It is insoluble at normal pH; hence it is available as a buffered colloidal solution, with sodium deoxycholate…
Introduction Microbiology can be a daunting subject for medical students and junior doctors alike to approach. Confronted with masses of information and bacteria names more suited to winning Scrabble competitions, it’s often difficult to know where to start! However, acquiring a good understanding of microbiology can be life-saving for your patients, so it is well…
Nature of the antibiotic Class: Next-generation aminoglycoside (neoglycoside), semisynthetic (sisomicin based). It is not inactivated by most aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AME).Molecular weight: 592.68. It is synergistic with many antibiotics, including piperacillin-tazobactam. Mechanism of resistance Enterobacteriaceae: modification of the ribosomal binding site due to expression of 16S rRNA methyltransferases. Adverse effect Spectrum Gram-positive Staphylococcus (MSSA, MRSA, and coag neg…
