Respiratory Tract Infections Flashcards
What opposing factors cause lung infections?
Pathogens.
The capacity to resist infections (defence mechanisms, age).
What are common URTIs?
Common cold.
Sore throat.
Croup.
Laryngitis.
Sinusitis.
Acute epiglottis.
What are common LRTIs?
Bronchitis.
Bronchiolitis.
Pneumonia.
What are respiratory tract defence mechanisms?
The macrophage-mucociliary escalator system.
Alveolar macrophages.
The cough reflex.
The immune system.
Secretions.
What are the effects of viral infection on the respiratory tract?
A loss of bronchial epithelium.
The mucociliary escalator is lost.
Cellular bronchiolitis occurs.
How is pneumonia classified aetiologically?
Community acquired.
Nosocomial.
In the immunocompromised.
Atypical.
Aspiration.
Recurrent.
What is bronchopneumonia?
Often bilateral basal.
Patchy opacification, relating to the focal nature of the consolidation.
What are the patterns of pneumonia?
Bronchopneumonia.
Segmental or lobar.
Hypostatic.
Aspiration.
Obstructive, retention, endogenous lipids.
What are the complications of pneumonia?
Most resolves, but can be fatal.
Pleurisy, pleural effusion, empyema.
Mass lesions.
Cryptogenic organising pneumonia.
Constrictive bronchiolitis.
Lung abscesses.
Bronchiectasis.
What causes lung abscesses in pneumonia?
Obstructed bronchi (tumours).
Aspiration.
S. Aureus, Pneumococci spp., Klebsiella spp.
Metastatic in pyaemia.
Secondary infection - necrotic lung.
What causes bronchiectasis in pneumonia?
Severe infective episodes.
Recurrent infections.
Proximal bronchial obstruction.
Lung parenchymal destruction.
What is bronchiectasis?
Mostly in children.
Symptoms include cough, abundant purulent foul sputum, and haemoptysis.
Coarse crackles and finger clubbing.
Complications - suppuration, haemorrhages.
CTs are done to diagnose.
Postural drainage, antibiotics, and surgery can all be used as treatment.
What are the different types of recurrent lung infections?
Local bronchial obstruction - tumours, foreign bodies.
Local pulmonary damage - bronchiectasis.
General lung disease - CF, COPD.
Non-respiratory disease - immunocompromised, aspiration.
What are the clinical features of aspiration pneumonia?
Caused by vomiting and oesophageal lesions.
Complications from obstetric anaesthesia, sedation and neuromuscular disorders can cause aspiration pneumonia.
What are opportunistic infections of the respiratory tract?
An increased chance of ‘ordinary’ infections by organisms not normally capable of producing disease in patients with intact lung defences.
Low-grade bacterial pathogens, fungi, and yeasts can all cause opportunistic infections.
