Pathology of Pulmonary Infection Flashcards
What is a primary pathogen?
A very pathogenic organism that will infect everyone regardless of health
What is a facultative pathogen?
Will be unable to infect very healthy people with strong immune systems
What is an opportunistic organism?
One that can only infect severely immunocompromised individuals
What two things are taken into consideration when working out a persons ability to resist pulmonary infection?
- Immune system state and state of frontline defences
- Age of patient
What is acute epiglottis?
Inflammation that leads to swelling of the epiglottis that can block the airway
What bacterium is responsible for acute epiglottis?
- Group A beta haemolytic streptococci
What bacterium can cause a common secondary infection following epiglottis?
Haemophilus Influenza
What is the main aspect of respiratory defence?
Macrophage-mucociliary escalator system
What role do macrophages have in the respiratory system?
- Endocytose foreign antigens
- Transport indigestible antigens to the mucociliary escalator to transport them out of the lungs
What other system can macrophages use to transport material out of the lungs?
Lymphatic
How does the mucociliary escalator move mucous out of the lungs?
- Cilia beat in a coordinated fashion to move material out of the lungs
What is the coughing reflex?
A rapid movement of air that carries material from the airways out of them
What happens if the mucociliary elevator fails?
Things breathed into the lungs such as dirt etc will stay there
What is the first thing viruses infect in the lung?
Ciliated epithelium
Why does a virus infecting the ciliated epithelium disrupt the mucociliary escalator?
It kills the cells it infects
How do bacteria capitalise on the damaged epithelium?
They can then get passed the mucociliary escalator
What condition will the bacteria cause once they get passed the mucociliary escalator?
Pneumonia
What other aspects of defence are there apart from macrophages and the mucociliary membrane?
- Secretions
- The upper resp. tract acts as a filter
How does the upper respiratory tract act as a filter?
- Catches particles
- Has hair and mucus
What is the other function of the upper respiratory besides acting as a filter?
Warming and humidifying the air we breathe to make it easier
What is “the anatomical aspect pneumonia”?
How it looks on an X-ray
What will “the aetiological aspect of pneumonia” help you predict?
The likely organisms involved
What is “the microbiological aspect of pneumonia”?
Exactly what organism is involved
What is community acquired pneumonia?
Pneumonia caught directly from the community.
