CASE 3 - TB / PNEUMONIA Flashcards
List 2 benign and 3 serious differentials for a cough with haemoptysis
BENIGN:
- Acute viral or bacterial bronchitis
- COPD exacerbation
SERIOUS:
- Pneumonia
- TB
- Lung cancer
- Pulmonary embolism
List 1 benign and 2 serious differentials for a cough with fever and purulent sputum production
BENIGN:
- Acute sinusitis
SERIOUS:
- Pneumonia
- Lung abscess
Name the organism that most commonly causes tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
How is TB spread?
Most commonly, it is person-to-person spread (e.g. coughing, then another person inhales)
How does TB escape hydrolytic enzymes once it has been phagocytosed by the macrophage?
TB produces proteins that inhibit the fusion of phagosomes (containing the TB) and lysosomes
Why does TB tend to infect upper lobes first?
TB is a strict aerobe (needs oxygen to survive)
The upper lobes have a higher V/Q ratio, less blood (and therefore less WBCs), and more lymphatics
What is the difference between latent and active TB?
LATENT: A state of constant immune response stimulation due to M. tuberculosis antigens, with no signs of active TB. ASYMPTOMATIC, NOT CONTAGIOUS.
ACTIVE: Active TB
A disease occurring after first-time exposure to M. tuberculosis (only in 1–5% of cases). SYMPTOMATIC, CONTAGIOUS.
In which population group (in Australia) should TB be considered?
MIGRANTS
Indigenous Australians
Elderly Australians (becoming immunocompromised)
Other disadvantaged groups (e.g. prisoners, homeless)
Which types of samples are best for diagnosing TB? Why?
Tissue samples (e.g. pleural or peritoneal biopsy)
Mycobacteria have a lipid-rich cell wall. They don’t swim into the aqueous solution: they like to stay cell-associated.
Fluids are low-quality specimens
What type of staining is used to detect TB? Why is a Gram stain not used?
Ziehl-Neelsen stain
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a very lipid-rich cell wall that is not suited to Gram staining
How does a tuberculin skin test / purified protein derivative (PPD) test work?
TUBERCULIN (a component of TB) is injected into the skin.
If someone has been exposed to TB before, the immune response causes an area of induration (hardening). If it is large enough, the test is considered POSITIVE.
Highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the tuberculin skin test vs. IGRA
TUBERCULIN:
Advantages = inexpensive, a century of experience, preferred in children
Disadvantages = not diagnostic, can’t differentiate between active and latent, requires 2 office visits, variation in interpretation, false positives in BCG vaccination
IGRA (Interferon-gamma release assay)
Advantages = single blood test, specific
Disadvantages = cannot be used for diagnosis, can’t differentiate between active and latent, not as much experience (only been around for around 10 years)
List 2 initial investigations for suspected pulmonary tuberculosis
Sputum smear microscopy with Ziehl-Neelsen stain
CXR
What are sputum culture and susceptibility testing used for?
Diagnosis & checking for drug resistance
How can sputum samples be obtained for diagnostic purposes?
3 early morning sputum samples
Induced sputum
Gastric lavage
Bronchoalveolar lavage
Clinical features of active TB
Fever
Weight loss
Night sweats
Productive cough (+/- haemoptysis)
3 most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia
Streptococcus pneumoniae (most common)
Haemophilus influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
2 most common causes of hospital-acquired pneumonia
Gram-negative pathogens (e.g. pseudomonas aeruginosa)
Staphylococcus aureus
Host factors that predispose to pneumonia?
HALM
Hypoventilation (e.g. drugs, immobility, pain)
Accumulation of secretions (e.g. COPD, CF, bronchial obstruction)
Loss or suppression of cough reflex (e.g. coma)
Mucociliary impairment (e.g. smoking, viral URTI)
Why does hospital-acquired pneumonia tend to be more dangerous?
- Occurs in immunocompromised individuals
- Hospital pathogens are resistant to more antibiotics and therefore harder to treat
Pneumonia can be categorised according to location. Name and describe the 3 types of pneumonia under this category.
LOBAR (typical): consolidation of a whole lung, filling the entire region with fluid
BRONCHOPNEUMONIA: throughout the lungs, involving both bronchioles and alveoli
ATYPICAL/INTERSTITIAL: outside alveoli, in the interstitium
Name 2 other categories of pneumonia
Ventilator-associated (a subset of hospital-acquired)
Aspiration
Describe the 4 stages of lobar pneumonia and their timeline
- CONSOLIDATION (1-2 days): blood vessels and alveoli fill with excess fluid
- RED HEPATIZATION (days 3 - 4): exudates such as RBCs, neutrophils, and fibrin fill airspaces, making them more solid. Named for its liver-like appearance.
- GREY HEPATIZATION (days 5 - 7): still firm, but colour change is due to the breakdown of exudates
- RESOLUTION (day 8 - 3 weeks): exudate is digested (by enzymes) or coughed up
Name 2 organisms that cause atypical pneumonia
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Chlamydia pneumoniae
(atypical pneumonia usually affects immunocompromised individuals)
Why does atypical pneumonia cause a DRY cough?
Because consolidation/fluid buildup occurs in the interstitium and not the alveoli
Describe 4 symptoms of someone who has TYPICAL pneumonia.
CONSTITUTIONAL SYMPTOMS: Severe malaise, high fever, chills
- Productive cough w/purulent sputum production
- Pleuritic chest pain
- SOB
(CPPS)
Describe 4 SIGNS of someone who has TYPICAL pneumonia.
- Dullness on percussion (e.g. in lobar pneumonia where there is consolidation)
- Late inspiratory crackles and bronchial breath sounds (heard in the sternal and upper back region, between the scapula - where the large bronchi are located) on auscultation
- Increased vocal resonance over areas of consolidation (sound travels better through fluid)
- Tachypnoea, dyspnoea
How is pneumonia diagnosed?
It is a clinical diagnosis based on:
- HISTORY
- PE
- Lab findings
- CXR findings
Describe what can be seen on the CXR of someone with pneumonia.
LOOK UP IMAGE
LOBAR: opacity of one or more lobes, air bronchograms (refers to the phenomenon of air-filled bronchi (dark) being made visible by the opacification of surrounding alveoli (grey/white))
BRONCHOPNEUMONIA: poorly-defined patchy infiltrates scattered through the lungs, air bronchograms
ATYPICAL / INTERSTITIAL: diffuse reticular (linear) opacity, absent (or minimal) consolidation
Typical lab findings in pneumonia (CBC, inflammatory markers, ABG)
CBC: leukocytosis
Raised CRP & ESR
ABG: Decreased PaO2
What is primary tuberculosis?
A form of TB that occurs soon after initial infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis (previously unexposed and unsensitised patients).
Includes active and latent TB.
Patients with primary TB are usually asymptomatic.
About 3 weeks after initial tuberculosis infection, cell-mediated immunity kicks in. How does this affect the lungs?
- GRANULOMA formation: an attempt to wall off the bacteria.
- CASEOUS NECROSIS: cheese-like necrosis. Granulomas with central caseating necrosis is the hallmark of TB in immunocompetent individuals.
- GHON FOCUS: granulomas + caseous necrosis AND lymph node involvement
What is secondary tuberculosis?
Reactivation of disease in a previously-sensitised host.
Often due to a weakened immune response (e.g. HIV, TNF-alpha inhibitor therapy)
What is the most frequently occurring case of extrapulmonary TB? Where does it usually occur?
Lymphadenitis - in the cervical region.
TRUE OR FALSE? HIV-positive patients almost always have multifocal disease, systemic symptoms, and either pulmonary or other organ involvement by active tuberculosis.
TRUE
What is the appearance of TB under microscopy after ZN staining?
Pink rods
(look up image)
Note: ZN staining does not differentiate between M. tuberculosis and other acid-fast bacilli