Upper respiratory tract Flashcards
what does the upper respiratory tract consist of
Upper respiratory tract includes the nasal cavity, pharyx and larynx
what are common URTIs
- Common cold – rhinovirus, coronaviruses, adenoviruses, myxovirsues, echoviruses
- Pharyngitis
what is more common bacteria or viruses for URTIs
- Bacteria infections can drive URTI but the most common cold is virsues
what is the most common virus that causes the common cold
rhinovirus
how can the common cold be transmitted
- Inhaling droplets in the air from sick people are major cause, due ot coughing sneezing or blowing their nose
- Touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching your eyes nose or mouth
- Inoculation of the mucosa lining of the upper airway
how long is the incubation time of the common cold
- varies depending on the virus
- Rhinoviruses = 1-5 days and respiratory syncytial virus may incubate for 7 days
define incubation time
this is the time before the onset of symptoms
what are the symptoms of the common cold
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Low grade fever
- Watery eyes
- Headache
- Earaches
- Nausea sensation
- Rhinorrhoea (excess mucus filling in the nasal cavity) and nasal obstruction (mucosal lining) – major symptoms
what are the major symptoms of a common cold
Rhinorrhoea (excess mucus filling in the nasal cavity) and nasal obstruction (mucosal lining) – major symptoms
what leads to the feeling of congestion
- Nasal obstruction – this results in swollen cells and swollen blood vessels, the swollen blood vessels lead to the feeling of congestion
describe the pathophysiology of the human rhinovirus infection
- Airways are lined for the epithelial cells
- upon inhlation of the HRV, this is recognized by TLR in this example it is TLR 3
- binding to this leads to activation of a host of signalling mechanism this includes activation of the retinonic acid inducible gene-1-like receptor,
- this signals mechanism inside the cell which leads to the secretion and release of pro- inflammatory mediates such as TNF alpha, IFN, CXCL8, some of these are chemokines which attract neutrophils,
- APC cells happen, then there is a delayed immune signature of the B and T cells
what are the symptoms of inflammation
- Swelling
- Redness
- Temperature
- Pain
what two viruses are most popular for causing the common cold
- rhinovirus
- RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)
how does the respiratory syncytial virus lead to the common cold
Viral Replication (major target epithelial cells)
→ Recognition via Toll-like (TLR) & retinoic acid-inducible gene-I-like (RIG-I) receptors
→ Cellular infection triggers pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g. TNF-alpha, IFN & CXCL8)
→ Triggers & activates Innate & Adaptive response
what is CXCL8
major chemokine that recruits neutrophils to the area