ENT Flashcards
Define tonsillitis
Inflammation of the parenchyma of the palatine tonsils
Define acute pharyngitis
Inflammation of the oropharynx (behind the soft palate)
Describe epidemiology of tonsillitis
- 70% viral
- 30% bacterial
- 90% will recover within a week without treatment
- Common in children age 5-10 and young adults age 15-25
- Bacterial tonsillitis is most commonly cause by Group A streptococcus (aka “Strep Throat”). This is carried in normal healthy throats in the general population. Rates of carriage decline with age, from about 10% of under 14’s to <1% of over 45s.
Describe symptoms of tonsillitis
- Sudden onset sore throat, fever, no cough
- Some patients may get headache, abdo pain, nausea and vomiting, cough or runny nose
List signs of tonsillitis
- Pus on tonsils (exudate)
- Tender cervical lymph nodes
- Swollen tonsils (erythema and elargement)
List investigations in tonsillitis
- Throat swabs to diagnose streptococccus
- Rapid antigen testing
- Mostly diagnosed from history alone
Centor criteria (3 or more rapid streptococcal antigen test):
- Tonsillar exudate
- Tender anterior cervical lymph nodes
- Fever over 38
- Absence of cough
List risk factors for tonsillitis
- Young age
- Being in contact with peers who have it eg. in schools
Define infectious mononucleosis
Glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) is an infection most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
List symptoms of infectious mononucleosis
- Fever
- Lymphadenopathy
- Severe sore throat that fails to improve
- Prodromal symptoms (general malaise, fatigue, myalgia, chills, sweats, anorexia)
- Non-specific rash
Describe aetiology of infectious mononucleosis
- Spread through kissing and sexual contact
- Generally via asymptomatic carriers
- Lifelong latent carrier state after infection
Describe epidemiology of infectious mononucleosis
- Glandular fever is most common in people aged 15–24 years
- 5 cases per 1000 persons; however, in a practice with a large young adult population, the annual incidence can be as high as 48 cases per 1000 persons
- The annual incidence in people younger than 10 years or older than 30 years is less than 1 case per 1000 persons
- Glandular fever is rare during the first year of life
- 95% of adults worldwide have been infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- Glandular fever is more likely to affect those who acquire primary EBV in their teenage years. In young adults, the rate of developing glandular fever from primary EBV infection is estimated at 50%, with a range between 26–74%. In older adults, EBV infection often does not progress to glandular fever
- Glandular fever is less commonly seen in developing countries
- In developing countries, most children acquire EBV by the age of 4 years.
- In developed countries, primary EBV infection tends to occur later in life, and between 25–75% of people with EBV infection develop glandular fever.
- There is no seasonal variation or gender or sex predisposition
List signs of infectious mononucleosis
- White wash exudate on tonsils, with tonsilar enlargement
- Palatal petechiae
- Non-specific rash
- Splenomegaly
- Hepatomegaly
Describe investigations of infectious mononucleosis
- Blood tests for EBV if immunocompromised or under 12
- Over 12 and immunocompetent perform FBC, looking for positive monospot test with high atypical lymphocytes.
- If negative repeat in 5-7 days. If second test is negative, test for CMV and HIV
- Check LFT
- 3 components: EBV viral capsid antigen (IgM - early primary infection), EBV VCA IgG (acute primary infection if with IgM or if with EBNA past infection)
- Paul brunelll antigen
Describe management of infectious mononucleosis
- Hospital admission if stridor, dehydration, or complication suspected
- Or advise to use simple analgesia, and advise symptoms last 2-4 weeks. Not necessary to miss school or work, avoid sharing utensils and kissing.
- Avoid heavy lifting and contact sports for first month of illness due to splenic rupture
- If taking amoxicillin, will cause a maculopapular rash
List complications of infectious mononucleosis
- Hepatitis
- Upper airways obstruction
- Cardiac complications (Pericarditis, myocarditis, conduction abnormalities)
- Renal complications (interstitial nephritis, myositis associated kidney injury, haemolytic uraemic syndrome)
- Neurological complications (guillian barre, encephalitis, facial nerve palsy)
- Haematological complications (neutropenia and thrombocytopaenia)
- Splenic rupture
- Chronic fatigue
- Cancer
- MS
- Chronic active EBV
- Abnormal LFT
Describe prognosis of infectious mononucleosis
- In most people, glandular fever is self limiting and lasts 2–4 weeks. Occasionally the disease course can be prolonged (lasting for weeks or months)
- Serious complications are rare and include upper airways obstruction, splenic rupture, and neutropenia. In immunocompromized people, EBV infection may result in malignant disease, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
- Fatigue is common and usually lasts for a few weeks, or for several months in a minority of people (about 10%).
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection leads to a lifelong latent carrier state. People who are immunocompromized are more likely to develop symptoms if EBV reactivates
List 6 cardinal ear symptoms
- Otorrhoea (discharge)
- Otalgia (ear pain)
- Hearing loss
- Dizziness
- Tinnitus
- Facial weakness (facial nerve)
Compare the appearance of acute otitis media to otitis media with effusion
Acute otitis media
- Painful
- Red bulging ear drum)
Otitis media with effusion
- Painless
- Retracted ear drum with thick “glue” behind
Describe the appearance of otitis externa on otoscopy and examination
- Pain upon palpation of tragus
- Erythema, edema, and narrowing of the external auditory canal , and a purulent or serous discharge
List the functions of the nose
- Warming
- Humidification
- Olfaction
- Respiration
- Filtration