28th July 2023

Miscellaneous Infections

Bacterial infections can affect any organ – not every body system is covered in this section. First principles can be applied to approach any questions relating to this topic, and understanding the patterns of infection and presentation help guide antibiotic choice. Some key principles in microbiology include:

• Taking samples before starting antibiotics whenever possible
• Start broad spectrum antibiotic treatment – and narrow when aetiology is identified
• Control of infection source is more important than antibiotics
• Shorter durations of antibiotics are generally favoured