**_🫀🫁Cardio & Resp🫀🫁 - Respiratory Tract Infections & Immunity Flashcards
What are the 3 categories of respiratory infection?
Upper respiratory tract infection
Lower respiratory tract infection
Pneumonia
What are the symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection?
A cough
Sneezing
A runny or stuffy nose
A sore throat
Headache
What are the symptoms of a lower respiratory tract infection?
A “productive” cough - phlegm
Muscle aches
Wheezing
Breathlessness
Fever
Fatigue
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Chest pain
Blue tinting of the lips
Severe fatigue
High Fever
What are the categories for general risk factors for pneumonia?
Demographic/lifestyle factors
Social factors
Medications
Medical history
What demographic/lifestyle factors would put someone at increased risk for pneumonia?
Age <2 or >65 years
Cigarette smoking
Excess alcohol consumption
What social factors predispose someone to pneumonia?
Contact with children aged <15 years (e.g. teachers, parents)
Poverty
Overcrowding
What medications puts someone more at risk of developing pneumonia?
Inhaled corticosteroids
Immunosuppressants (e.g. steroids)
Proton pump inhibitors
What previous medical history leaves someone more at risk of developing pneumonia?
COPD, asthma
Heart disease
Diabetes mellitus, HIV and Immunoglobulin (Ig) deficiencies (immunocompromised)
Risk factors for aspiration (e.g. dysphagia)
(Others include liver disease, malignancy, hypersplenism, complement deficiencies, previous pneumonia)
Outline asthma as a risk factor for pneumonia and hospitalisation
Exacerbations – are the most common cause of hospitalization.
Respiratory infections (mostly viral) – are the major cause of exacerbations.
Hospitalization due to exacerbation is a major predictor of asthma mortality
(Severe exacerbations limited to a subset of asthmatics)
What are the common causative agents of bacterial respiratory infections?
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Haemophilus Influenzae
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (less common but clinically relevant)
What are the common causative agents of viral respiratory infections?
Influenza A or B virus
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Human metapneumovirus
Human rhinovirus
Coronaviruses
What are the different types of airway inflammation?
Bronchitis- Inflammation and swelling of the bronchi
Bronchiolitis - Inflammation and swelling of the bronchioles
Pneumonia - Inflammation and swelling of the alveoli
What are the mechanisms of damage of pneumonia?
Pneumonia can cause lung injury, leading to arterial hypoxemia and possibly progressing to ARDS
Bacteraemia (bacteria in the bloodstream from an infection) can cause organ infection and subsequent organ injury or dysfunction, which may lead to sepsis
Systemic inflammation affects various systems, disrupting immunity, the endothelium, the microbiome, coagulation, and the autonomic nervous system
These disruptions contribute to overall deterioration in multiple body functions, including pulmonary, cardiovascular, hematologic, cognitive, and psychological systems
How is potential bacterial pneumonia graded?
CRB/CURB-65 scoring (1 point per item)
Confusion
Respiratory rate – >30 breaths/min
Blood pressure - <90 systolic and/or 60 mmHg diastolic
65 - 65 years old or older
In hospital add:
Urea - greater than 7 mmol/L
What are the common causes of community acquired pneumonia (CAP)?
Bacterial
Streptococcus pneumoniae (40-50%)
(Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Haemophilus Influenzae)
What is Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Gram-positive, extracellular, opportunistic pathogen
How can pneumonia be acquire in hospital?
Hospital acquired pneumonia
(Staphylococcus aureus
Psuedomonas aeruginosa
Klebsiella species
E. coli
Acinetobacter spp.
Enterobacter spp.)
Ventilator associated pneumonia
(Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25%)
Staphylococcus aureus(20%)
Enterobacter)