Pneumonia + Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Flashcards
What is pneumonia?
Inflammation of the alveoli in which they fill up in fibrin rich fluid e.g. mucous + pus
Signs + symptoms of pneumonia
- cough: dry > mucous
- dyspnoea
- pleuritic chest pain
- pleurisy fever + chills
- tachycardia
- organ dysfunction e.g.mental dysfunction
- crackles
- bronchial breathing
- confusion
Clinical findings of pneumonia
- dull to percussion
- fine crackles
- decreased breath sounds
- bronchial breathing
- increased vocal resonance
Investigations of pneumonia
- chest X ray
- sputum sample
- blood culture
- nose + throat swab (for viruses)
- urine (legionella + strep pneumococcus)
- ABG
- C reactive protein
What four tests should you always do in a patient with suspected pneumonia?
Sputum
Blood culture
Nasal and throat swab
Urine antigens
Complications of pneumonia
Emphysema
Lung abscess
Bacteraemia
What is empyema?
Collection of pus in pleural cavity
What is bacteraemia?
Presence of bacteria in the blood
What are the types of pneumonia?
- community acquired pneumonia
- healthcare acquired pneumonia : > 48 hours post admission
- ventilated acquired pneumonia: > 48 hours post intubation
What is the gold standard for diagnosing pneumonia?
- presence of infiltrate + consolidations on imaging
- alongside symptoms + other findings
How does ventilator associated pneumonia occur?
- develops when a person is connected to a ventilator
- biofilm can cover the endotracheal tube + infect the lung
- person can’t cough + already ill so infection builds up > pneumonia
Common microbiota of the respiratory tract
Viridans streptococci
Neisseria
Anaerobes
Candida
Strep pneumoniae + pyogenes
Haemophilia influenzae
List lower respiratory infections
Acute bronchitits
Empyema
Lung abscess
Pneumonia
Bronchiectasis
What is acute bronchitits?
Inflammation of medium sized airways of the lungs (bronchi)
Normal chest X ray
What is bronchiolitits?
Viral infection of the bronchioles
Most commonly in children <12 months
What causes bronchiolitis?
Respiratory syncytial virus
What is a lung abscess?
- Localised collection of pus within the lung
- Leads to cavity formation with a thick wall
- due to microbial infection causing necrosis of lung parenchyma
What is seen on imaging of a patient with a lung abscess?
Presence air-fluid levels in cavity