pneumonia

Question 1

on an x-ray how would pneumonia be identified

Answer 1

• presence of necrotic material showing white ‘fluff’ in an area of the lungs that should be black from air

Question 2

define virulence factors

Answer 2

is a mechanism that infectious pathogens use to facilitate their ability to cause disease

Question 3

how does fever occur

Answer 3

the result of the activation of acute phase reactions during the bodies inflammatory response

Question 4

what are the main disadvantages with plain film chest x-rays

Answer 4

• ionizing radiation, can act as a carcinogen as it causes DNA mutations
• limited contrast resolution (different to distinguish tissue densities)

Question 5

how does penicillin antibiotics work

Answer 5

penicillin inhibits bacterial enzyme transpeptidase. this enzyme would normally function by cross-linking peptidoglycan sugars present in bacteria. therefore by inhibiting this enzyme the bacteria loses its structural integrity

Question 6

the difference between influenza and the common cold

Answer 6

influenza

• rapid onset
• fever
• lasts 1-2 weeks
• systemic symptoms
• seasonal
• can be fatal

common cold

• progressive onset
• local symptoms
• occurs all year round

Question 7

what is viral tropism

Answer 7

explains the specificity of a virus to infect an organism or cell. tropism is due to both characteristics of the virus and the cell in which it infects, allows interaction and gain of entry

Question 8

what surface protein gives influenza its tropism

Answer 8

hemagglutinin binds to sialic acid found on respiratory epithelium

Question 9

what is the difference between the cells of the innate and adaptive immune response

Answer 9

innate

• NK cells
• phagocytic cells
• APC

adaptive

• phagocytic cells
• APC
• lymphocytes

Question 10

what is the difference between the soluble factors of the innate and adaptive immune response

Answer 10

innate

• acute phase proteins
• cytokines
• complement
• lysosomes

adaptive

• complement
• cytokines
• antibodies

Question 11

why is fibrotic tissue problematic in the lungs

Answer 11

fibrotic tissue is non-functional e.g. can’t undergo gas exchange and therefore lung can’t function properly. the degree of fibrotic tissue demonstrates the degree of damage and function lost

Question 12

what histological features would you expect to see in chronic pneumonia

Answer 12

macrophages and lymphocytes (chronic inflammation)
areas of fibrosis (fibroblasts & collagen fibers)
areas of angiogenesis

Question 13

how to antibodies counteract the influenza virus

Answer 13

antibodies bind to the viral protein hemagglutinin, which presents on the surface of the influenza virus, preventing the binding of hemagglutinin to sialic acid. This is a result of the antibody directly neutralizing the virus