Upper Resp Tract Infections

Question 1

What are some Upper Resp Tract (URT) Defenses?

Answer 1

• Cough
• Flushing action of saliva
• Nose hair filters particles
• Normal Microbiota

Question 2

What are some Lower Resp Tract (LRT) Defenses?

Answer 2

• Muco-ciliary clearance (Mucus trapping particles)
• Macrophages in alveoli
• BALT (Bronchus Associated Lymphoid Tissue) in resp mucosa -> initiate local immune responses

Question 3

How do Professional Respiratory Invaders work? (Infects healthy resp system)

Answer 3

• Adhesion to normal mucosa -> Flu & cold viruses
• Ability to interfere w cilia -> eg S.pneumoniae
• Ability to resist destruction in alveolar macrophages -> eg M. tuberculosis
• Ability to damage local tissues - > eg Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Question 4

How do Secondary Invaders work? (infects when host defenses imparied)

Answer 4

• Initial infection & damage by resp virus -> eg S. aureus
• Impaired local defenses -> eg S. aureus
• Chronic bronchitis -> S. pneumoniae
• Depressed immune systems -> M. tuberculosis

Question 5

What are the top 10 URT Infections?

Answer 5

Question 6

What part of the URT does the Common Cold infect?

Answer 6

• Cells lining nasal passage
• Pharynx

Question 7

What causes Pharyngitis and Tonsillitis

Answer 7

Viruses:
- Rhinovirus
- Adenovirus
- Influenza virus
Bacteria:
- Group A, C & G Streptococcus
- Strep pyogenes

Question 8

What are the symptoms of Acute Pharyngitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes?

Answer 8

• high fever
• no cough
• enlarged painful tonsils

Question 9

What is the Diagnosis of Pharyngitis?

Answer 9

• throat swab -> plate out on blood agar
• rapid diagnostic tests

Question 10

What is the Treatment of Pharyngitis?

Answer 10

• symptomatic treatment
• if its bacterial pharyngitis, use antibiotics

Question 11

Diphtheria Causes and Clinical Feat.

Answer 11

Cause:
- Toxin-prod strains of Corynebacteria diphtheriae
Clin Feat:
- MEDICAL EMERGENCY
- can damage heart and liver
- extensive inflamm. and swelling
- enlarged cervical lymph nodes

Question 12

Diphtheria Management

Answer 12

• Isolate patient
• Anti toxins
• Antibiotics
• Contact tracing

Question 13

Glandular Fever Aetiology & Clin Feat

Answer 13

Cause:
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- Transmitted via saliva exchange
Clin Feat:
- release of cytokines
- Fever, lethargy, anorexia, sore throat
- Jaundice

Question 14

Acute Laryngitis Aetiology & Clin Feat.

Answer 14

Causes:
- Coronavirus
- Rhinovirus
- Influenza
Clin Feat:
- common cold
- hoarseness
- barking cough

Question 15

Acute Laryngitis Diagnosis & Treatment

Answer 15

Diagnosis:
- Clinical
Treatment:
- Symptomatic
- Voice Rest
- Humidification

Question 16

Describe Laryngotracheobronchitis (Croup) & Epiglottitis

Answer 16

• Acute inflamm diseases of airways
• Danger of airway obstruction
• Especially for very young ppl bc narrower airway
• Both MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

Question 17

Laryngotracheobronchitis (Croup) Aeitology & Clin Feat.

Answer 17

Causes:
- Influenza A,B
- Adenovirus
- RSV
Clin Feat:
- MEDICAL EMERGENCY
- Fever
- Barking Cough
- Sore Throat
- Stridor (high pitch sound)

Question 18

Laryngotracheobronchitis (Croup) Diagnosis & Treatment:

Answer 18

Diagnosis:
- Nasopharyngeal swab
- Antigen detection
Treatment:
- Symptomatic for mild cases
- Antibiotics if bacterial
- Maintain airways

Question 19

Acute Epiglottitis Diagnosis & Treatment

Answer 19

Diagnosis:
- Blood culture
Treatment:
- Maintain airways
- Examine for obstructions
- Antibiotics if bacterial

Question 20

Acute Epiglottitis Aetiology & Clin Feat.

Answer 20

Cause:
- Haemophilus influenzae type b
Clin feat:
- Fever
- Sore Throat
- Swallowing diff
- Drooling & Cough

Question 21

Acute Sinusitis Causes (think Comm-acquired & Hosp-acquired)

Answer 21

Community-Acquired Viral:
- Rhinovirus
- Influenza
Community-Acquired Bacterial:
- Strep pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Strep pyogenes