Respiratory tract infections and immunity Flashcards
What are the signs and symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection?
A cough
Sneezing
A runny or stuffy nose
A sore throat
Headache
What are the signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection?
A “productive” cough - phlegm
Muscle aches
Wheezing
Breathlessness
Fever
Fatigue
What are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
Chest pain
Blue tinting of the lips
Severe fatigue
High Fever
What is “DALY”?
“Disability- adjusted Life Year”=
A sum of years of life lost (YLL) and years lost to disability (YLP)
Age dramatically impacts mortality burden, true or false?
TRUE
Pneumonia rates increase with age, true or false?
TRUE
A mix of viral and bacterial causes, can lead to respiratory illness true or false?
TRUE: there is no single dominant pathogen, there can be copathogens: bacteria-bacteria, virus-virus or virus- bacteria
List the demographic and lifestyle risk factors for Pneumonia?
Demographic and lifestyle factors:
Age <2 years or >65 years
Cigarette smoking
Excess alcohol consumption
List the social risk factors for Pneumonia?
Social factors:
Contact with children aged <15 years
Poverty
Overcrowding
List the medical risk factors for Pneumonia?
Medications:
Inhaled corticosteroids
Immunosuppresants (e.g steroids)
Proton pump inhibitors
Medical history:
COPD, Asthma
Heart disease
Liver disease
Diabetes mellitus
HIV, Malignancy, Hyposplenism
Complement or Ig deficiencies
Risk factors for aspiration
Previous pneumonia
List risk factors for certain pathogens, causing pneumonia
Geographical variations
Animal contact
Healthcare contacts
What are the common causative agents for respiratory infection?
Bacterial:
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Myxoplasma pneumoniae
Haemophilus Influenzae
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Viral:
Influenza A or B virus
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Human metapneumovirus
Human rhinovirus
Coronaviruses
Give examples of bacteria that cause community acquired pneumonia (CAP):
Streptococcus pneumoniae (40-50%)
Myxoplasma pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Haemophilus Influenzae
Give examples of the most common/ typical bacteria for pneumonia
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis
Give examples of hospital acquired pneumonia
Staphylococcus aureus
Psuedomonas aeruginosa
Klebsiella species
E. coli
Acinetobacter spp.
Enterobacter spp.
Give examples of ventilator acquired pneumonia
Psuedomonas aeruginosa (25%)
Staphylococcus aureus(20%)
Enterobacter
give examples of atypical bacteria associated with pneumonia
Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae,
Legionella pneumophilia
Describe streptococcus pneumoniae
Gram- positive
Extracellular
Opportunistic pathogen
What are the consequences of bacterial infections in the lower airways?
Whenever the bacteria reach the lower airways, it can cause either:
1. Bronchitis:
- Inflammation and swelling of the bronchi
2. Bronchiolitis:
- Inflammation and swelling of the bronchioles
3. Pneumonia:
- Inflammation and swelling of the alveoli
What other issues can result from pneumonia?
- Lung injury -> arterial hypoxemia -> ARDS/ organ injury or dysfunction (Sepsis/ Deterioration)
- Bacteremia -> organ infection -> organ injury or dysfunction (Sepsis or deterioration) / overactive immune response (deterioration)
- Systemic inflammation -> overactive immune response (deterioration/ organ injury or dysfunction (sepsis)
Treatment -> overactive immune response (organ injury or dysfunction, sepsis, deterioration)