how to study for infectious diseases?

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tinu

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Well the title says it all.
I'm having heck of a time studying for all the antimicrobials, antivirals, antifungals and solving Qs choosing 1 over the other.
What is the best method? Also, can anyone recommend me how to study the microbiology associated with studying ID? Any book, online resources, online handouts from other schools is appreciated.
Thank you.
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ask me :)


the key is to make charts, simple, end of story
 
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I try to think about the bugs and where you find them - think from top to bottom and from the outside in.

e.g.:
skin = g+
gut = g-
throat = strep pneumo
abdomen = e.coli

allergies are a big component in choosing the appropriate drug. Like for CAP, we use Ceftriaxone +/- Doxy or Moxi or Azithro. For a confirmed cephalosporin allergy you may use Moxi monotherapy. As far as selection of your agent for atypicals, it depends where you live and your particular bugs. Like where I am, Doxy has a better profile for our particular atypicals.

I can try to answer more specific questions if you have them.
 
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tinu said:
Well the title says it all.
I'm having heck of a time studying for all the antimicrobials, antivirals, antifungals and solving Qs choosing 1 over the other.
What is the best method? Also, can anyone recommend me how to study the microbiology associated with studying ID? Any book, online resources, online handouts from other schools is appreciated.
Thank you.
Click to expand...

http://www.idsociety.org/Content.aspx?id=9088
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
How about anaerobes and some other bugs..
Click to expand...

:rolleyes: ok, you got me there. I'm pretty sure that wasn't an all-inclusive list of what bugs you find in the gut.

But it helps to correlate location of infection and common pathogens. Weird stuff can, and will, grow, but it helps to know the usual suspects.

Back to Universal Studios again tonight...
 
I would just read a lot, then put the drugs and the bugs into logical categories so that you can remember them better.
 
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I've got that class, too, right now. CHARTS, CHARTS, CHARTS!
 
Thank you everyone for your replies. I will certainly take a look at the resources.
I think I'm gonna buy Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple book. I don't seem to remember a word from my micro course. Getting all mixed up now.
 
I'm a P1 and from what I heard from the P2's that had this class already, they say the "ridiculously simple" book was a tremendous help!
 
I'm a P3 and just finished learning ID. For reference, I used the Sanford's guide (it's the red version) and I also made a huge chart and classified all the drugs by their classes (ex. penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems) in different colored boxes and under the box I'd write what they covered (ex. mainly gram positive, atypicals, etc.) and I also highlighted which drugs covered pseudomonas. On the back of the chart I also made different lists like which drugs did not need renal adjustments, which drugs were time dependent v. concentration dependent, etc. But yeah, I agree with the others... lots of charts and tables!!!

Sounds like a lot of work but when you're studying, it will be very helpful to have those tables/lists to reference.
 
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Teenytiny said:
I'm a P3 and just finished learning ID. For reference, I used the Sanford's guide (it's the red version) and I also made a huge chart and classified all the drugs by their classes (ex. penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems) in different colored boxes and under the box I'd write what they covered (ex. mainly gram positive, atypicals, etc.) and I also highlighted which drugs covered pseudomonas. On the back of the chart I also made different lists like which drugs did not need renal adjustments, which drugs were time dependent v. concentration dependent, etc. But yeah, I agree with the others... lots of charts and tables!!!

Sounds like a lot of work but when you're studying, it will be very helpful to have those tables/lists to reference.
Click to expand...

Share.
 
Do ESBL affect either of the drugs mentioned?

But you can use carbepenems, FQs and sometimes cefepime is still an option
 
njac said:
Do ESBL affect either of the drugs mentioned?

But you can use carbepenems, FQs and sometimes cefepime is still an option
Click to expand...

You tell me...which bugs produce ESBL?
 
Gram negative. I've seen Klebsiella first hand.
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
What if it's producing ESBL?
Click to expand...

Good points. ESBL = bacteria produce enzymes that can break down many common antibiotics and make them ineffective in fighting infections caused by the bacteria. In such case, use combinations!
 
Whoops
 
Last edited:
rxforlife2004 said:
Good points. ESBL = bacteria produce enzymes that can break down many common antibiotics and make them ineffective in fighting infections caused by the bacteria. In such case, use combinations!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you can combine 2 antibiotics that do not work against ESBL producing bacteria and expect it to work....
 
And think about what ESBL is an acronym for. That is a big hint for what will not work against them.
 
BravoKilo said:
Just got this in from Amazon last week -- have yet to start reading it so I can't comment on the content, but it has many positive reviews and seems like a good study guide (its full of silly/stupid pictures to help make memorization much easier than basic text)

Check it out:
http://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Micr...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228960225&sr=8-1[/QUOT


This is the book i was gonna recommend too. I took the class with med students and this is what a lot of them use. I think they also use it to study for boards.
Click to expand...
 
DrZion said:
BravoKilo said:
Just got this in from Amazon last week -- have yet to start reading it so I can't comment on the content, but it has many positive reviews and seems like a good study guide (its full of silly/stupid pictures to help make memorization much easier than basic text)

Check it out:
http://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Micr...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228960225&sr=8-1
Click to expand...


This is the book i was gonna recommend too. I took the class with med students and this is what a lot of them use. I think they also use it to study for boards.
Click to expand...
 
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