LUNGS- Respiratory tract infections

Question 1

Discuss the treatment of tonsilitis and pharyngitis

Answer 1

The majority of tonsilitis and pharyngitis is viral.

So antibiotics cannot be used to treat them.

Question 2

What is streptococcal sore throat?

Answer 2

This is a disease caused by Class A S.pyogenes that resides in the nasopharynx.

It produces extracellular substances that break up blood cells and collagen fibres.

Question 3

What is rheumatic fever?

Answer 3

When the antibody produced in response to Group A strep attacks the cardiac tissue.

Question 4

In simple terms Compare bronchitis, tuberculosis and pneumonia

Answer 4

Bronchitis is inflamation of the tracheobronchial tree

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection of the lungs

Pneumonia is inflamation of the alveoli.

Question 5

Discuss the treatment of bronchitis?

Answer 5

As most cases are viral we treat with decongestants and NSAIDs

Question 6

Describe tuberculosis

Answer 6

Myobacterium tuberculosis is engulfed by a macrophage. But the bacteria reproduces in the lung to produce a lesion.

The lesion can calcify (become inactive) or liquefy (spread)

During immune supression an inactive lesion can re-activate.

Question 7

How do we treat tuberculosis?

Answer 7

Triple drug therapy and monitoring.

Question 8

What causes pneumonia?

Answer 8

• pneumolysin produced by Streptococcus pneumonia
• Staph aureus in the hospital
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Chlamydia pneumoniae

Question 9

How can we treat pneumonia?

Answer 9

Hospitalisation and intra-venous antibiotics.

Question 10

What is the relevance of penumonia in hospitals?

Answer 10

Incubation in hospital has the pottential to spread bacteria into the lungs.

It is pneumonia that pushes people over the edge causing death.

Question 11

How do we tell if a lower respiratory tract infection is more severe?

Answer 11

The patient is:

• Very old or very young
• confused
• Increased respiratory rate
• Increased temperature