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Sepsis and Infectious Disease Emergencies Flashcards

7 cards from real CPEN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Sepsis and Infectious Disease Emergencies flashcards as text

  1. A 6-week-old presents with paroxysmal coughing episodes, post-tussive vomiting, and an apneic episode. The infant was born to an incompletely vaccinated mother. Which diagnosis is MOST likely?

    Answer: Pertussis (whooping cough)

    Pertussis in young infants presents with paroxysmal cough, post-tussive vomiting, and apnea; the classic inspiratory 'whoop' may be absent in neonates and young infants.

  2. A child presents sitting upright and leaning forward in the 'sniffing position' with high fever, drooling, and severe respiratory distress. Epiglottitis is suspected. What is the MOST important immediate action?

    Answer: Minimize agitation, prepare for definitive airway management, and call for anesthesia/ENT backup

    Epiglottitis can cause complete airway obstruction with any agitation; the priority is keeping the child calm and immediately mobilizing resources for controlled intubation or surgical airway.

  3. Which radiographic finding on a lateral neck X-ray is MOST consistent with epiglottitis?

    Answer: Thumb sign representing an enlarged, rounded epiglottis

    The 'thumb sign' on lateral neck X-ray represents the swollen, rounded epiglottis projecting posteriorly and is the classic radiographic finding of epiglottitis.

  4. A 4-year-old presents with fever, headache, and a rash that began on the wrists and ankles 3 days ago and has now spread to the trunk. There is a history of tick exposure. Which infection is MOST likely?

    Answer: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

    RMSF classically begins with a macular or petechial rash on the palms, wrists, and ankles that spreads centripetally (inward toward the trunk), along with fever and tick exposure history.

  5. What is the drug of choice for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in a 5-year-old child, despite typical age-related concerns?

    Answer: Doxycycline

    Doxycycline is the recommended treatment for RMSF in all children, including those under 8 years, because the risk of death from untreated RMSF far outweighs the risk of dental staining from a short course.

  6. Which clinical features BEST differentiate septic arthritis from transient synovitis in a child with a painful hip?

    Answer: Fever, significantly elevated ESR/CRP/WBC, and refusal to bear any weight

    Septic arthritis typically presents with fever and markedly elevated inflammatory markers (Kocher criteria: ESR, WBC, fever, non-weight-bearing), requiring urgent surgical irrigation and drainage.

  7. A 10-year-old receiving chemotherapy presents with a fever of 38.6°C. His absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is 320/mm³. What is the MOST appropriate management?

    Answer: Admit and initiate IV broad-spectrum antibiotics immediately

    Febrile neutropenia (ANC less than 500/mm³) in an immunocompromised child requires immediate hospitalization and empiric IV broad-spectrum antibiotics to prevent rapidly fatal sepsis.