Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Question 1

What are some examples of upper respiratory tract infections?

Answer 1

Otitis media

Rhinitis

Tonsillitis

Pharyngitis

Laryngitis

Epiglottitis

Question 2

What is laryngitis also known as?

Answer 2

Croup or laryngotracheobronchitis

Question 3

How is bacteria inside us all the time but not causing infection?

Answer 3

As commensals, meaning they are harmless

Question 4

What is a problem with commensals always being present?

Answer 4

It can be hard to tell what is a commensal and what is a pathogen

Question 5

Where do most infections originate from?

Answer 5

Bacteria that was in the body beforehand

Question 6

What is the prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections?

Answer 6

Acute upper respiratory tract infections (7% of all admissions)

Acute tonsillitis (3%)

Croup (3%)

Otitis media (0.5%)

Question 7

What is important to know about the relationship between upper respiratory tract infections and hospital admissions?

Answer 7

Only a small percentage of upper respiratory tract infections leads to hospital admissions

Question 8

Why is it difficult to know whether you should prescribe antibiotics are not?

Answer 8

You cannot tell if the patient is going to get better or worse

Question 9

What is the most common upper respiratory tract infection?

Answer 9

Rhinitis (5 to 10 per year)

Question 10

What does prodrome mean?

Answer 10

Early symptom indicating the onset of a disease

Question 11

What does rhinitis prodrome?

Answer 11

Pneumonia

Meningitis

Septicaemia

Question 12

What kind of condition is rhinitis and otitis media?

Answer 12

Self-limiting

Question 13

What is the prevalence of otitis media?

Answer 13

common

Question 14

When is otitis media primary and secondary?

Answer 14

Primary viral infection

Secondary with pneumococcus/H’flu

Question 15

What does otitis media cause?

Answer 15

Spontaneous rupture of the eardrum

Question 16

How useful are antibiotics for otitis media?

Answer 16

Do not usually help

Question 17

What is the prevalence of tonsillitis/pharyngitis?

Answer 17

Common

Question 18

Is tonsillitis/pharyngitis caused by viruses or bacteria?

Answer 18

Either

Question 19

How does the severity of tonsillitis/pharyngitis drastically change?

Answer 19

It either requires nothing or 10 days of penicillin

Question 20

Can you give Amoxicillin to someone with tonsillitis/pharyngitis?

Answer 20

Never

Question 21

What is the most common cause of tonsillitis/pharyngitis?

Answer 21

Throat commensal of streptococcus

Question 22

What is an indicator of croup/epiglottitis?

Answer 22

Distinctive barking cough or stridor

Question 23

What is rhinitis more commonly known as?

Answer 23

Runny nose

Question 24

How long can rhinitis take to clear?

Answer 24

up to 15 days

Question 25

What are the symptoms of otitis media?

Answer 25

Ear pain Temperature Pus Redness Bulging drum

Question 26

How long can otitis media (earache) take to clear?

Answer 26

Up to 9 days

Question 27

How does treatment with antibiotics change the duration of the infection?

Answer 27

Barely changes it and so is not worth using due to possible side effects

Question 28

What is the main side effect of antibiotics?

Answer 28

Diarrhoea

Question 29

What are advantages of defered treatment?

Answer 29

Fewer patients treated Fewer side effects Benefits from immediate treatment only after pain is gone

Question 30

What is worth prescribing for otitis media?

Answer 30

Analgesia (pain killer)

Question 31

How long can a sore throat last up to?

Answer 31

7 days

Question 32

What are differences between croup and epiglottitis?

Answer 32

Croup is caused by para'flu, common, child is well, barking cough, needs dexamethasone Epiglottitis is caused by H.Influenza type B, rare, stridor and drooling, needs antibiotics

Question 33

What is the duration of croup?

Answer 33

Up to 3 days

Question 34

What is croup?

Answer 34

Childhood condition that affects the windpipe (trachea), the airways to the lungs (bronchi) and the voice box (larynx)