Hunter: EENT Infections Flashcards
External auditory canal infection (swimmer’s ear)
Occurs in 4 of every 1000 persons each year
Most common in swimmers and divers who frequently get water trapped in the external canal
otitis externa
What are some predisposing factors for otitis externa?
high environmental temperatures
trauma from mechanical removal of cerumen or foreign objects
chronic dermatologic disease (ex: eczema)
Most common cause of otitis externa?
gram-negative bacilli
The major pathogen associated with otitis externa; the most common cause of swimmer’s ear and malignant otitis externa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Less common cause of otitis externa
Staph aureus
Symptoms of otitis externa?
ear pain, itching, and discharge
external canal red and swollen
tender pinna, can make chewing difficult
What is used to treat otitis externa?
dicloxacillin
ciprofloxacin
**less severe cases, use ofloxacin eardrops
Suspected when temperature is >38.3°C, pain is severe, and there is a purulent exudate in the ear;
Necrotizing infection can spread to the cartilage, blood vessels, bone (mastoid), and brain
Often seen in immunosuppressed adults with diabetes
malignant otitis externa
How to treat malignant otitis externa?
imepenem
**think about ENT referral for surgical debridement
Primarily a bacterial infection of the inner ear mucosa with exudate production seen in children
50% of children experience an episode before 1 year of age; 80% by the age 3
the most frequent diagnosis in febrile children; boys more often than girls
Otitis media
Infants and children with purulent conjunctivitis or rhinosinusitis should be examined to determine if they have (blank) (otoscopy)
otitis media
Persons with (blank) are more likely to have recurrent otitis media
immune deficiencies
Most common causes of otitis media?
Strep pneumo
non-typeable H. influenzae
Moraxella catarrhalis
**can be caused by Staph aureus or Strep pyogenes
In children younger than 6 weeks of age, (blank) commonly cause acute otitis media
gram negative bacilli
**E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeurginosa
Acute otitis media is usually preceded by a (blank)
upper respiratory tract infection
What causes the serous effusion in otitis media?
blocked eustachian tube –> prevents mucosal absorption of air –> negative pressure in middle ear –> serous effusion
These symptoms are definitive for acute otitis media
pain
fever
middle ear effusion (tympanic membrane bulge)
How to treat acute otitis media?
many cases resolve w/o antibiotics, prescribe an analgesic, like acetaminophen or amoxicillin if symptoms aren’t relieved in 3 days
relatively common eye infection; appear as acute purulent papules that occur at the lid margin;
can occur as a complication of blepharitis (blockage and infection of the Zeiss or Moll sebaceous glands or meibomian glands in the tarsal plate)
hordeola (styes)
What causes hordeola (styes) in 90-95% of cases?
staph aureus
granulomatous lesions that are not painful
chalazia
How to treat hordeola? External vs internal?
most drain spontaneously;
if external, lance it or epilate nearby lashes; if internal, apply warm compresses plus oral dicloxacillin
How to prevent hordeola?
good hygiene of the eyelid margin
Suspected in patients with recent sinusitis, facial trauma or surgery, or dental work
orbital cellulitis
Most common cause of orbital cellulitis?
Strep pneumo and other strep, staph aureus
H. influenzae
Most cases of orbital cellulitis result from (blank)
ethmoid sinusitis
(blank)% of orbital cellulitis cases result in some vision loss
10
Serious complications of orbital cellulitis
brain abscess
meningitis
cavernous venous thrombosis
Inflammation of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva
Most organisms causing conjunctivitis also cause keratitis (keratoconjunctivitis)
Very common (30% of all eye complaints to family physicians); can occur at any age
A common name for this disease, pinkeye, caused by inflammatory blood vessel dilatation
conjunctivitis
Most common cause of viral conjunctivits?
adenoviruses
**HSV1 and HSV2 less common
These bugs can cause purulent conjunctivitis
Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis
can cause hyperpurulent conjunctivitis, which can cause significant corneal damage
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
causes follicular (inclusion) conjunctivitis in sexually active teenagers and young adults; also causes trachoma, the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world
Chylamydia trachomatis
can cause conjunctivitis in newborns (ophthalmia neonatorum), which can spread from the conjunctiva and rapidly infect the cornea
N. gonorrhoeae
C. trachomatis
Infectious agents adhere to the conjunctiva and overwhelm normal defense mechanisms (e.g., tearing, lysozyme): clinical symptoms of redness, discharge, and irritation
usually is a self-limited process; however, in immunocompromised patients and in patients with certain infectious agents, conjunctivitis can cause serious infections of the cornea that threaten loss of sight
conjunctivitis
caused by N. gonorrhoeae acquired in the birth canal can be invasive and can lead to rapid corneal perforation
ophthalmia neonatorum
can lead to conjunctival scarring (particularly in trachoma)
chlamydial conjunctivitis
(blank) causes conjunctival blood vessels to dilate and the underlying white sclera to appear red (injection)
The patient may have a sensation of fullness, burning, or of grit or a foreign body in the eye
Excessive (blank) may also occur
A purulent discharge is more common in (blank) causes of conjunctivitis
Dried exudate can “glue” the eyelid shut
Usually (blank) is not impaired; cornea and pupil appear normal
Treatment of viral conjunctivitis is usually (blank) (artificial tears and cold compresses)
viral conjunctivitis; tearing; bacterial; vision; supportive
Ophthalmia neonatorum (conjunctivitis occurring within the first month of life) (blank) occurs within 2 or 3 days of delivery, compared to 4-10 days for the more common Chlamydia trachomatis Untreated Neisseria kerato-conjunctivitis can progress to ulceration or perforation of the (blank) in 24 hr In actively infected mothers, there is a 30-50% vertical transmission rate during vaginal delivery (blank) is effective in treating neisserial infections in the newborn; erythromycin ointment use for prophylaxis
N. gonorrhoeae;
cornea;
ceftriaxone
A disease of poverty and unsanitary living conditions
Active form presents as a mucopurulent keratoconjunctivitis
The conjunctival surface of the upper eyelid shows a follicular response
Causes an intensely irritating foreign body sensation and corneal scarring
The cicatricial or corneal scarring phase can lead to blindness (C)
trachoma