Question

During an oral surgery, the surgeon nicked the patient’s gum with a sharp instrument. This allowed Streptococcus, a bacterium normally present in the mouth, to gain access to the blood. As a result, the patient developed bacterial endocarditis (an infection of the heart). Which type of disease is this?

a) Infectious disease
b) Genetic disease
c) Autoimmune disease
d) Noncommunicable disease

Answer 1

An iatrogenic disease occurs if a patient contracts an illness as a direct result of healthcare interventions, such as when a nick during oral surgery allows bacteria like Streptococcus to enter the bloodstream and cause bacterial endocarditis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The disease described in the scenario is called iatrogenic disease, which is a type of illness that results from medical procedures or treatments. In this case, the Streptococcus bacteria, which is typically harmless in the mouth, was able to enter the patient's bloodstream due to an accidental nick of the gum during oral surgery. Once in the bloodstream, it traveled to the heart and caused bacterial endocarditis, which is an infection of the endocardium (lining of the heart). This disease can be severe and may require immediate treatment to prevent life-threatening complications such as damage to the heart valves.

Furthermore, it's important to understand that this disease is not a genetic disease, autoimmune disease, or generally a noncommunicable disease in this context. Instead, it is associated with a medical procedure which makes it an iatrogenic condition. Iatrogenic diseases can be a result of various medical interactions that lead to the patient contracting an illness as a direct result of healthcare interventions.