Pneumonia - Features + Treatment Flashcards
Who does pneumonia primarily affect?
Young children, elderly and immunocompromised
What is the most common (bacterial cause) of pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae (30%)
What are the leading respiratory virus causes of pneumonia?
RSV, rhinovirus, influenza (30%)
What are 4 other bacterial causes of pneumonia?
- Haemophilius influenzae
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Pneumocystis jirovecii
Describe the aetiology (spread) of pneumonia?
- Nasopharyngeal aspiration → normal ecological niche = nasopharynx
- Droplet spread
- Inhalation of airborne microorganisms → spore format e.g. aspergillus
- Haematogenous spread
Describe the action of cells in the respiratory immune system
1) Mucociliary clearance → entrapment in mucus, ciliary escalator
2) Alveolar macrophages → phagocytosis, inflammation
3) Neutrophils → phagocytosis (but can reach phagocytosis capacity)
4) Complement and antibodies → opsonisation, agglutination
5) Lymphocytes → inflammation, activation of other immune cells
What is the pathophysiology of pneumonia?
1) Alveoli fill with pus (can see on x ray or CT)
2) Impaired gas exchange → by pathogen and infiltrates from blood
3) SIRS → systemic inflammatory response, sepsis
4) Bacteraemia
What causes congestion?
Vascular engorgement, intra-alveolar fluid
What is red hepatisation?
When there is exudation of red cells, neutrophils and fibrin in the alveoli (precedes grey hepatisation)
What is grey hepatisation?
Disintegration of RBCs, persisting inflammatory cells leaving a fibrinosuppurative exudate in the alveoli
Do lungs normally scar due to pneumonia?
No
What are the (non-specific) symptoms of the infection?
- Dyspnoea
- Cough
- Sputum ± purulence (inflammatory infiltrate)
- Fever (cytokines)
Why is there not much pain in pneumonia?
Bc there is not much nerve supply to the lung itself
What are the signs of infection?
- Tachypnoea
- Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Pyrexia (fever)
- Crackles
- Whispering pectoriloquy
- Increased tactile fremitus
- Increased vocal resonance
- Central cyanosis
- Altered mental status
What investigations would you do to determine pneumonia?
- ABG (if hypoxic bc checking for type 2 respiratory failure)
- CXR
- FBC
- U&E, CRP, LFT
- Blood and sputum cultures
- Viral PCR
- Atypical serology
- Urine Ag for legionella and S. Pneumoniae (useful if positive)
What is whispering pectoriloquy?
When as the consolidated lung has better sound transfer, what sounds like upper respiratory sounds might be at the bottom
What is atypical serology useful for?
Tells us what has caused the pneumonia (more useful for epidemiology than acutely)
What are the urine Ag for legionella and S. Pneumoniae useful for?
To find out the bacteria to be able to narrow down the spectrum of antibody (initially given broad spectrum)
What does consolidation of the (right) middle lobe normally obscure?
The heart
What does consolidation of the (right) lower lobe usually obscure?
The diaphragm
Where is right upper lobe consolidation located?
Above the horizontal fissure
What does left lingula consolidation obscure?
The left heart border