Upper respiratory tract infections Flashcards
What are the different URT infections?
1) Common cold & Influenza
2) Coronavirus (COVID-19)
3) Pharyngitis
4) Croup in children
What is the common cold & influenza?
- The common cold and influenza are contagious viral infections of the URT, caused by different viruses
- They usually last for 7 days
- The season of the year, age, and prior exposure are important factors in the type of virus causing the infection and the symptoms that can occur
What are the various common cold viruses?
1) Adults: rhinovirus
2) Children: parainfluenza type 3 and RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus)
What viruses cause influenza (flu)?
Influenza virus A, B, C, & D
What are the symptoms of the common cold?
1) Congestion
2) Itchy/watery eyes
3) Feeling tired
4) Cough
5) Runny/stuffy nose
6) sore throat
7) Headache
What are the symptoms of the influenza (flu)?
- INFLUENZA IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS
1) Fever (fever distinguishes it from the common cold)
2) Body aches
3) Extreme fatigue
4) Cough
5) Runny/stuffed nose
6) Sore throat
7) Headache
How do the common cold and influenza get transmitted?
- Very easily spread
- The viral pathogen can transfer through direct contact, large and small-particle aerosol, indirect contact
- Viruses can survive for up to 5 hours on the skin
- They are most contagious during the first 3-days after the symptoms begin
- Co-infection with more than one pathogen is common in these illnesses
How frequently does the common cold and influenza occur?
- 5-7 times per year in children
- 2-3 times per year in adults
- They occur mainly between the early fall and late spring in temperate climates
What are the risk factors for influenza (flu)?
1) Age: >65 years or <5 years
2) Long-term care facilities
3) Pregnant women
4) People with weakened immune system
5) People with chronic illnesses
6) Obese indivisuals
How to prevent the common cold and influenza?
1) Masks
2) Wash your hands
3) Vaccines for influenza (yearly)
What medications can you use if you got infected with the common cold or influenza?
1) Antihistamines
2) Decongestants
3) Pain relievers
4) Cough suppressants
5) Nasal strips
- ANTIBIOTICS ARE FUCKING USELESS IN VIRAL INFECTIONS PLEASE DO NOT USE IT
What are the complications of the influenza (flu)?
- People with flu will recover from a few days to less than two weeks
- Specific individuals (pregnant, older, younger, weak immunity) are likely to develop complications
1) Ear infection
2) Sinusitis
3) Bronchitis
4) Pneumonia (serious flu complication, due to the co-infection with a bacteria)
5) Encephalitis
6) Meningitis
7) Myocarditis
What is the influenza vaccine?
- It contains inactivated parts of the influenza virus of A & B Flu viruses
- The body will then produce antibodies against the viruses in the vaccine, which takes around 2-weeks
- Vaccinated individuals are 60-70% less likely to catch the virus
What is the coronavirus disease?
- COVID-19 is a new illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2, which transmits through respiratory droplets carrying the infectious virus
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- It has an incubation period of 2-14 days, and symptoms that start from day 5-6 postexposure:
1) Fever (>38 degrees)
2) Headache
3) Muscle/body aches
4) Cough
5) Shortness of breath
6) loss/change in the sense of smell or taste
How to diagnose COVID-19?
1) Viral test (nasopharyngeal swabs)
2) Antibody tests (tell us if the patient had a past infection)
3) Travel history
- No specific Clinical presentation
Who should get tested for COVID-19?
1) People who have COVID-19 symptoms
2) People who were in close contact with an infected person
3) People who are been told by their physician
What is the treatment for covid-19?
1) Management of the symptoms + Isolation
2) Cough and cold medications
3) Vitamins
- Protect family members
What is pharyngitis?
- AKA sore throat
- It is an inflammation of the pharynx, resulting in a sore throat, leading to throat scratchiness and difficulty in swallowing
What microorganisms cause pharyngitis?
- Viruses are the most common cause of sore throat (RED PHARYNGITIS)
1) ADENOVIRUS is the most common
- Bacteria (WHITE PHARYNGITIS)
1) Group A streptococcus (S.pyogens)
2) Fusobacterium necrophorum (with severe complications like lemierre syndrome)
- They are transmitted via breathing the tiny droplets “direct person to person”
- If you get into contact with the secretions
- Consuming contaminated food and beverages
What is lemierre syndrome?
It is a rare disease that occurs when the bacterial infection (usually throat infection) spreads into the tissues and deep spaces within the neck and forms blood clots in the jugular vein, causing fever, chills, pain, tenderness, & swelling in the throat and neck
How to diagnose pharyngitis?
1) If bacterial:
- Acute onset of the sore throat with tonsillar or pharyngeal exudates, tender anterior cervical lymphadenopathy, and fever
- Blood culture
- Rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) are SUFFICIENT TO DETECT G-A-strep in adults but must be backed up with throat culture in children
2) If viral:
- Sore, dry, scratchy throat, with pain while swallowing and speaking
- PCR
How to treat pharyngitis?
- IF Viral
1) Salt water gargle would help it go away
2) Pain relievers
3) Extra fluids
- IF Bacterial
1) Antibiotics (Penicillin or amoxicillin)
What is croup in children?
- Acute viral infection of the URT that occurs in children between 6 months to 3 years, which obstructs breathing causing a characteristic barking cough
- The URT will swell making it difficult to breath
- Most children develop it only once, if recurrent it is called spasmodic croup
- Common symptoms are barking cough, fever, runny nose, whistling sound when breathing
