Thoracic infections in immunocompromised patients

Question 1

what imaging is used in thoracic infections in the immunocompromised patients

Answer 1

Chest radiography

Question 2

How would you determine the causative agent

Answer 2

• Microbiology

Question 3

what are the 5 principal types of immune defects

Answer 3

These can be either congenital or acquired

• phagocytosis defects
• humeral or antibody (B lymphocyte) immunity defects
• cell mediated (T lymphocyte) immunity defects
• complement system defects
• defects caused by splenectomy or hyposplenism

Question 4

how do haematological malignancies result in immune defects

Answer 4

• by themselves or by their management which includes chemotherapy, radiation, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation or some combination thereof resulting in immunosupression and placing patients at higher risk for infection