25 - Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Question 1

What causes acute pharyngitis

Answer 1

Group A strep

Question 2

Main feature of acutepharyngitis

Answer 2

1st symptom is sore throat

Question 3

Clinical features of acute pharyngitis

Answer 3

o	incubation period 2-3 days
o	sore throat, fever, feel ill
o	+/- tonsillar exudate
o	tender cervical nodes
o	may lead to quinsy
o	occasionally leads to scarlet fever

Question 4

B hemolytic strep

Answer 4

o GAS – strep pyogenes

o GBS – strep agalactiae

Question 5

What causes a cold

Answer 5

Rhinovirus (picorna virus)

Coranaviruses

Question 6

What causes epiglottitis

Answer 6

Haemophilus influenzae B

Question 7

Main feature of epiglottitis

Answer 7

Rapid onset of fever, sore throat dysphagia

+ Asphyxiation

Question 8

Tx of epiglottitis

Answer 8

cefotaxime,ceftriaxone

Question 9

Cause of otitis media

Answer 9

Streptococus pyogens (GAS)
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus

Question 10

What is otitis media

Answer 10

Inflammation of middle ear

Question 11

How to treat otitis media

Answer 11

ibuprofen, paracetamol

antipyraine and benzocaine

Question 12

What causes sinusitis

Answer 12

Viral origin

rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and influenza

Question 13

tx of sinusitis

Answer 13

co-amoxiclav, clarithromycin

Question 14

Sx of sinusitis

Answer 14

Nasal congestion, facial pain, headache, night time coughing, malaise

Question 15

What is respiratory synctial virs

Answer 15

Major pathogen in resp infections of childhood

Mild infection that can lead to pneumonia, bronchiolitis, croup

Question 16

What causes whooping cough

Answer 16

Bordatella pertussis

Question 17

Tx whooping cough

Answer 17

Erythromycin

Question 18

Diagnosis of whooping cough

Answer 18

o Fastidious Gram negative rod

o Bordet Gengou agar with 15% sheep blood

Question 19

Phases of whooping cough

Answer 19

• Week 1: Catarrhal phase: cough increases

* Week 3: Paroxysmal stage lasts for 3-4 weeks:

Question 20

What causes diptheria

Answer 20

Corynebacterium diptheriae

= gram pos

Question 21

Main features of diptheria

Answer 21

severe pharyngitis and pseudomembranes on tonsils

Question 22

Diagnosis of diptheria

Answer 22

• Chinese characters on albert stain

Question 23

What does diptheria toxin bind to

Answer 23

• Diptheria toxin A binds to EF-Tu –> stops protein synthesis

Question 24

What causes infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)

Answer 24

Epstein bar virus

Question 25

Clinical features of infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)

Answer 25

o Tonsils affected and gross pharyngeal swelling
o Often get enlargement of the spleen and liver
o Causes a systemic disease but presents as a sore throat

Question 26

Diagnosis of glandular fever

Answer 26

Monospost test

IgM antibodies against EBV

Question 27

Clinical features of adenovirus

Answer 27

o Mucous membrane infections i.e eye, resp/gastro/urinary tract

Question 28

What is croup

Answer 28

• Acute laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis

Caused by viruses

Question 29

Clinical features of croup

Answer 29

o Hoarseness, cough (seal bark), stridor

o Occurs between 3 months and 3 years

Question 30

Diagnosis + tx of croup

Answer 30

o Nasopharyngeal aspirate for immunofluorescence

= Humidify inspired air + consider ribavirin