Respiratory Infections Flashcards
Acute epiglottitis- cause, symptoms, tests, treatment
Caused by haemophilus influenzae type B.
Rapid onset fever, stridor, drooling, tripod breathing.
XR- AP view swelling of epiglottis- thumb sign, PA view- steeple sign.
Management: ventilation if necessary, oxygen and IV antibiotics- ceftriaxone.
Bronchiolitis- cause, symptoms
Acute bronchiolar inflammation- LRTI. Usually respiratory syncytial virus. Common in < 1 year
Coryzal symptoms, cough, breathless, wheeze, feeding difficulties.
More common in winter.
Croup- symptoms, management
Causes URTI in infants and toddlers.
Stridor due to laryngeal oedema and secretions. Barking cough, fever, coryzal symptoms.
More common in autumn.
Give single dose of oral dexamethasone or prednisolone.
Glandular fever/EBV/Infectious mononucleosis- symptoms, tests, management
Sore throat, pyrexia and lymphadenopathy.
Malaise, splenomegaly, hepatitis, lymphocytosis, cold haemolytic anaemia, maculopapular rash from amoxicillin.
Test for with Monospot test in second week of illness. Avoid contact sports for 8 weeks due to risk of splenic rupture.
Conditions associated with EBV
Burkitt’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, HIV CNS lymphomas, hairy leucoplakia.
Whooping cough/Pertussis- cause, symptoms, management
Caused by Bordetella pertussis.
Starts with coryzal symptoms, then coughing bouts worse at night, inspiratory whoop, apnoea, marked lymphocytosis. Can last 14 weeks.
<6 months old- hospital admission. Oral clarithromycin or azithromycin if within 21 days. Household prophylaxis.
Scarlett fever- cause, symptoms, management, complications
Caused by group A haemolytic strep. Spread via respiratory droplets.
Fever, malaise, headache, vomiting, sore throat, strawberry tongue, rash- pinhead rash on torso.
Do throat swab but start antibiotics immediately. Oral penicillin for ten days. Alternative: azithromycin.
Complications: otitis media, rheumatic fever, acute glomerular nephritis
