Fever and Contamination: Understanding the Interplay

The assignment content discusses the development of fever as a response to infectious particles and its benefits in making minerals such as iron and zinc unavailable for bacterial growth, as well as increasing metabolic rates of cells to facilitate faster repair mechanisms. Additionally, it highlights two sources of contamination: endogenous (mucous membranes) and exogenous (environmental) sources that can lead to hospital-acquired infections. The content also discusses the antibiotic Augmentin and its effectiveness against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nursing assignment
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Question 1
1. Tetanus is a severe medical condition marked by an infection that is caused by the rod
shaped bacterium Clostridium tetani. In the present case, Mary has increased chances of
developing the infection caused by this bacterium due to her wound suffered while
digging manure at the rose garden. The spores of this bacterium are commonly found in
the external environment, mostly, soil, manure and dust. Infection with the spore of tetani
bacterium is a serious concern as tetanus, or lockjaw, as it is commonly called, is the
severe condition in which the person infected with the disease suffers spasms, often
leading to bone deformation. Others complications include difficulty in swallowing with
an increase in heart rate and severe headache. The mortality rate of this disease is 10%
across the globe (Prescott et al., 2014).
2. The importance of the tetanus booster has been indicated in the Australian Immunisation
Handbook. The main rationale behind the administration of the booster to Mary is
prevention of the onset of the disease in the individual. It is known that such a booster
vaccine is effective in preventing the infection in someone who has suffered a puncture
wound. The puncture wound in Mary is the 4cm cut in the right calf
(immunise.health.gov.au, 2017).
Question 2:
2.1. Mary sustained a dip cut in her right calf while digging manure into her rose garden.
The inspection of her wound in the medical center showed that wound edges were red and hot to
touch, surrounding tissues were swollen and purulent discharge was coming out from the wound.
It can be said that above wound observation is a sign and symptoms of any clinical issue. This is

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because sign is an objective evidence of disease, which can be detected by patients as well as
other person, whereas symptom is the subjective evidence of disease which is experience by
patients alone. Hence, this sign will act as clue to identify the most likely diagnosis of clinical
issues in patient.
2.2 The first wound observation was that Mary’s wound were red and hot to touch. The
physiological basis of this wound observation is that redness or hotness was seen due to
inflammatory response to injury. Inflammation was triggered in Mary’s body when she sustained
injury to her calf. This may also occur by intense heat, infection and physical trauma. The
dilation of the arteriole resulted in increased blood flow to the injured area and consequently
signs of redness and heat (Marieb & Hoehn, 2016). Hence, inflammation alerts immune response
which is indicated by signs of redness, pain and heat in patient’s body.
2.3 The second wound observation for Mary was swollen tissues around the wound.
Manifestation of this sign can also be explained by the phenomenon of inflammatory response to
injury. Any tissue injury triggers release of inflammatory chemicals like histamines. This in turn
acts to increase the capillary permeability and formation of exudates. The protein rich fluid
accumulated in tissues spaces around the wound, which results in swelling of the area and pain in
affected person (Marieb & Hoehn, 2016). Therefore, Mary’s wound had swollen because of this
reason.
2.4 The third wound observation for Mary was purulent and odorous discharge from wound.
Such wound drainage is caused by dilation of the blood vessels during the early stage of
inflammatory response caused by the presence of bacteria in the wound. Odour in such wounds
is seen because exudates contains dead cells and necrotic debris (Marieb & Hoehn, 2016).

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Question 3
1. Fever is the most common localised and systemic response of the body of the patient against
any foreign infectious particle entering the body. The purpose of such responses is to invade the
incoming microorganisms so that severe outcomes do not arise. Fever is the rise in temperature
of the individual’s body above the normal range for fighting against the incoming
microorganisms. Mary had developed fever as a response to the infectious particles entering her
body through her deep cut wound. Fever occurs when cellular defensive bodies such as
macrophages are exposed to the foreign particles, releasing chemicals that are collectively
known as pyrogens. The section of our brain controlling the body temperature is termed as the
hypothalamus, and pyrogens act on the hypothalamus, increasing the body temperature.
2. The two benefits of developing fever by an individual after he has been subjected to
infectious particles are as follows-
 Minerals such as iron and zinc are sequestered by the liver and spleen when fever
develops. This action is responsible for making these two organs less supportive of the
bacterial growth that might have otherwise taken place.
 Metabolic rates of the cells of the body are increased significantly when the individual
has a fever. The advantage is that repair mechanism of the cells is faster (Craft & Gordon,
2015).
Question 4

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4.1 The mucous membrane can be regarded as endogenous source of contamination in Mary.
This is because the oral cavity and mucous membranes contains variety of microorganism that
can colonize wounds. Microbiological studies have also confirmed this as a cause of
contamination because it results in species found in the oral cavity flora were same as that
present near the wounds (Leaper, Assadian, & Edmiston, 2015). The endogenous source of
contamination might be transmitted to the host by means of direct constant. For example, the
micorganism present in mucous membrane or oral cavity can be carried through the air by
droplets or dust particles. Such airborne transmission of infectious agent is seen when host
sneezes, speaks or coughs. The microorganism is carrier through the air or adhere to the dust
and gets transmitted on the wounds to further cause infection.
4.2 The environment around Mary such as air or patient present in the medical centre can be
regarded as exogenous source of contamination. Environmental sources of contamination can be
numerous arising from contact with other infection person in clinic, contact with infected bloods
and contaminated medical instrument. This may also be called hospital acquired infection. The
most common microorganism causing hospital-acquired infections may include bacteria, fungi
and virus. Some common bacterias include Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. Such source of contamination may mainly spread through person-to-person contact
(Dancer, 2014). For example, in case of Mary, poor hygiene practices in medical centre such as
unclean hands, infected medical instruments can lead to infection. The transmission may also
occur through air-to-air transmission. The contaminated bed linens or air droplet might also be a
reason for transmission of contamination to the host. Such form of contamination may also lead
to infection in Mary.
Question 5

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1. Augmentin is a common and highly effective antibiotic that is administered against the
bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, especially those that are resistant to other antibiotics.
Most of the strains of the bacterium are resistant to the common antibiotic methicillin,
and are known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain. Research
has indicated that Augmentin is the most suitable antibiotic against the pathogenic
bacteria. Chances are high that the bacterial strain infecting Mary is MRSA.
Administration of Augmentin to Mary was therefore justified given that there was an
existing infection with Staphylococcus aureus.
The use of this antibiotic has been prominent. Augmentin is the drug composed of two
ingredients- clavulanate potassium and amoxicillin. The additional benefits of the drug include
effectiveness against medical complications such as otitis media, urinary tract infection and
bronchitis. The mode of action is that the drug is an inhibitor of beta-lactamase. Beta-
lactamase is the enzyme involved in bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Susceptible isolates of
bacteria can be effectively destroyed with this antibiotic (Bullock & Manias, 2017).

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Reference
Bullock, S., & Manias, E. (2017). Fundamentals of pharmacology (8th ed.). Frenchs Forest,
Australia: Pearson Australia.
Craft, J., & Gordon, C. (Eds.). (2015). Understanding pathophysiology (2nd Australian and New
Zealand ed.). Chatswood, Australia: Elsevier. Available Online
Dancer, S. J. (2014). Controlling hospital-acquired infection: focus on the role of the
environment and new technologies for decontamination. Clinical microbiology
reviews, 27(4), 665-690.
Department of Health. (2017). 4.19 Tetanus. Retrieved from
http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/
Handbook10home~handbook10part4~handbook10-4-19
Leaper, D., Assadian, O., & Edmiston, C. E. (2015). Approach to chronic wound
infections. British Journal of Dermatology, 173(2), 351-358.
Lee, G., & Bishop, P. (Eds.). (2016). Microbiology and infection control for health professionals
(6th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Pearson Australia.
Marieb, E.N., & Hoehn, K. (2016). Human anatomy & physiology (10th global ed.). Harlow,
United Kingdom: Pearson Education.
Prescott, L. M., Willey, J. M., Sherwood, L., & Woolverton, C. J. (2014). Prescott's
Microbiology. McGraw-Hill Education.

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