Pneumonia Flashcards
What are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia
Symptoms -
- Fever >38 degrees
- Malaise
- Cough (purulent - rust coloured sputum)
- Dyspnoea
- Pleuritic pain (may hear pleuritic rub)
Sign-
- Dull percussion note
- Reduced breath sounds
- Bronchial breathing (transmission of bronchial sounds to peripheries due to consolidation)
- Coarse crepitations
- Increased vocal fremitus (increased transmission of ’99’ through consolidated lung)
- Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Confusion
- Cyanosis
Describe 3 main respiratory defence mechanisms against infection?
- Mucus layer - traps pathogens
- Cilia - sweeps mucus and pathogens out of airway
- Alveolar macrophages -bind and ingest pathogens and particles
- Recruitment of additional white blood cells in times of sever infection e.g neutrophils
What is empyema and what are its key clinical features?
Collection of puss (abscess) in the lung tissue.
Features -
Failure to fully recover from antibiotic therapy
swinging fever
What is pneumonia?
inflammation of the parenchyma of the lung
What can cause pneumonia?
most common cause of pneumonia is infection and the majority of these are bacterial in nature. Viruses, fungi and parasites may also cause pneumonia.
Bacteria can reach the lungs in which 3 routes?
Inhalation
Aspiration
Haematogenous
Community acquired pneumonia is split into 2 categories, what are they?
Typical and Atypical
What are the common causes of typical community acquired pneumonia?
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (most common)
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
What are the common causes of Atypical community acquired pneumonia?
Non-zoonotic -
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae,
- Legionella pneumophila, - Chlamydophila pneumoniae
Zoonotic -
- Chlamydophila psittaci (psittacosis)
- Coxiella burnetii (Q fever),
- Francisella tularensis (tularemia).
What is the difference between typical and atypical pneumonia?
Typical - presents with usual symptoms - a productive cough, fever and pleuritic chest pain
Atypical - present with a combination of pulmonary and extrapulmonary symptoms
What is hospital acquired pneumonia?
pneumonia contracted > 48 hrs after hospital admission that was not incubating at the time of admission.
Which bacteria are known to cause hospital acquired pneumonia?
- Gram-negative bacilli (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Legionella pneumophila
Which types of patients are most at risk of aspiration pneumonia?
Reduced conscious level
Neuromuscular disorders
Oesophageal conditions
Mechanical interventions such as endotracheal tubes.
Which bacteria are often associated with aspiration pneumonia?
- Streptococcus pneumoniae,
- Staphylococcus aureus,
- Haemophilus influenzae,
- Enterobacteriaceae, in
the hospital Gram-negative bacilli (e.g. pseudomonas aeruginosa)
Which test can be used to diagnose pneumococcal pneumoniae and legionella pneumophilia. What should be done is the test is positive?
Urinary antigen tests - then PCR
If positive - need to do a specific spot culture
State specific features of Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Gram-positive alpha-haemolytic streptococci
- causes a significant leucocytosis (high WBC) and a raised CRP
- Gives rust coloured sputum
Which extrapulmonary symptoms are associated with atypical pneumonia?
Erythema multiforme and erythema nodosum (Mycoplasma pneumonia.) Arthralgia, myalgia, malaise Myocarditis, pericarditis Haemolytic anaemia Headache
Abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting (Hepatitis can be a feature of Legionella pneumonia)
Labial herpes simplex (reactivation is relatively common in pneumococcal pneumonia)
State specific features of Mycoplasma pneumoniae?
- Rod-shaped gram negative
- affect a younger demographic and occurs in cyclical epidemics.
- presents with flue like symptoms (arthralgia, myalgia, dry cough and headache)
Can present with following extrapulmonary symptoms
- can cause cold autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
- Erythema multiforme
- Arthralgia
- Myocarditis, pericarditis
State specific features of Legionella pneumophila?
- gram-negative coccobacillus
- encountered in those exposed to contaminated cooling systems, humidifiers and showers.
- chest symptoms may present after several days of myalgia, headache and fever.
- 50% associated related to foreign
travel – Especially Mediterranean
How is Legionella pneumophila often contracted?
It is encountered in those exposed to contaminated cooling systems, humidifiers and showers
Which extrapulmonary features is Legionella pneumophila associated with?
myalgia, headache