9/11- Pulmonary Infections Flashcards
What are the various routes of infection to the lungs?
- Inhalation of contaminated droplets/aerosols
- Aspiration
- Hematogenous
- Direct extension
What are host defenses to lung infections?
Mechanical
- Anatomical (nasal turbinates, nasal hairs, glottis, branching airways)
- Cough reflex
- Mucociliary escalator
Immune-based responses: alveolar macrophages and surfactant proteins
- Engulf, opsonize and kill bacteria and viruses
- Release inflammatory mediators to defend the lung =>syndrome of pneumonia
What are risk factors for community acquired pneumonia?
- Alcoholism
- Asthma
- Immunosuppression
- Institutionalization
- Age > 70
Clinical manifestations of CAP?
Onset/prodrome: insidious, acute or fulminant
Severity: mild to fatal
Symptoms:
- Fever, cough (dry or productive), pleuritic chest pain, chills or rigors, shortness of breath
- Associated symptoms: HA, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, fatigue
What is found on the physical exam of pt with pneumonia?
- Tachypnea
- Fremitus – increased or decreased
- Percussion – dull or flat
- Crackles
- Pleural friction rub
- Whispered pectoriloquy (increased clarity of whispered words; same connotation as bronchopony)
- Egophony – E to A (extreme bronchophony)
What are the typical etiologic agents of community acquired pneumonia? Atypical?
Typical:
- Strep pneumoniae
- Hemophilus influenzae
- Staph aureus
- CA-MRSA
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
Atypical:
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Chlamydia pneumoniae
- Legionella spp
- Respiratory viruses
- Fungi
Vary according to geographic areas, patient population, season, age group
(Only find etiologic agent in 1/2 of outpts or 2/3 of inpts.. in everyday practice, 70% of cases are not identified)
What common pathogens are associated with alcoholism?
- S pneumoniae
- Oral anaerobes
Gram negative bacilli:
- Klebsiella
- Acinetobacter
- M TB
What common pathogens are associated with bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis?
- Pseudomonas
- Burkholderia cepacia
- Staph aureus
What common pathogens are associated with COPD?
- H influenzae
- Pseudomonas
- Legionella
- S pneumoniae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
What common pathogens are associated with Flu season?
- Influenza virus
- S pneumoniae
- Staph aureus
What common pathogens are associated with exposure to water?
Legionella spp
What common pathogens are associated with poor dental hygiene?
Oral anaerobes
What common pathogens are associated with HIV?
- Pneumocystis jirovecii
- Strep pneumoniae
- Mycobaterium tuberculosis
- H influenzae
How is a CXR useful in pneumonia?
Helpful in diagnosis
- Presence/extent of infiltrate
- Presence of pleural effusion
- Follow clearing of infiltrate
When would you order a CT chest?
- Complicating factor
- Negative CXR with strong suspicion for pneumonia
What are other tests that can be used in diagnosis/management of pneumonia?
WBC count: indicate need for hospitalization (very high or very low)
Sputum Gram stain:
- Adequate lower respiratory tract specimen: fewer than 10 squamous epithelial cells and >25 PMNs per LPF
- Can identify organisms by characteristic appearance
Sputum culture
Blood culture (if admitted to hospital), low yield: 5-14%
Antigen tests: uine strep and legionella
PCR tests: Rapid flu, M TB, Legionella, Mycoplasma
Serology: mycoplasma, viruses, fungi
What is the pneumonia severity index (PSI)?
20 variables with points assigned
Severity classes I-V for point ranges with associated mortality rates