Lecture 8: Respiratory Tract Infections Flashcards
what role does bradykinin have in a cold
- causes sore throat
- causes nasal congestion due to vasodilation
what causes sneezing in a cold
- mediated by stimulation of trigeminal sensory nerves
- histamine regulated
what changes nasal discharge colour in a cold
- changes colour due to increased neutrophils
- due to myeloperoxidase
what causes cough in a cold
- mediated by vagus nerve
- inflammation has to have reached larynx
what are cytokines responsible for in a cold
systemic symptoms eg fever
what is the typical temperature in flu patients
38 - 41 degrees
what could be the complications of flu
- primary viral pneumonia
- secondary bacterial pneumonia
- CNS disease
- death
what does haemagglutinin do
- binds sialic acids on host cell surface
- allows virus to enter host cell
what does neuraminidase do
- cleaves sialic acid bonds
- allows virus to escape
community acquired pneumonia pathogens
- streptococcus pneumoniae
- mycoplasma pneumoniae
- legionella pneumophila
risk factor for strep pneumonia
- alcoholics
- smokers
- hyposplenism
- chronic heart disease
- HIV
how is mycobacterium pneumonia diagnosed
PCR throat swab
how is mycobacterium pneumonia treated
- macrolides
- tetracyclines
what is mycobacterium pneumonia the commonest cause of
ambulatory atypical pneumonia
how is legionella pneumophila tested for
urinary legionella antigens
when do we call pneumonia hospital acquired
new onset at least 48 hours since admission
what are social risk factors for tubercolosis
- homelessness
- imprisonment
- current or history of drug misuse
