Viral/bacterial respiratory infections Flashcards
What is the median number of upper respiratory tract infections that children have per year in the first few years of life?
5
What proportion of respiratory infections involve only the nose, throat, ears or sinuses?
80%
What are 4 conditions encompassed by the term URTI?
- Common cold (coryza)
- Sore throat (pharyngitis, including tonsillitis)
- Acute otitis media
- Sinusitis (relatively uncommon)
What can cause cough in URTI? 2 things
- Secondary to postnasal drip
- Attempt to clear upper airway secretions
What are 3 relatively serious things that URTIs may cause?
- Difficulty in feeding in infants as noses are blocked, obstructs breathing
- Febrile seizures
- Acute exacerbations of asthma
When might hospital admission be necessary for URTI?
if feeding and fluid intake inadequate
What are the classical features of the common cold (coryza)?
mucopurulent nasal discharge and nasal blockage
What are the most common pathogens causing coryza? 3 examples
- Rhinoviruses
- Coronaviruses
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
What are 2 aspects of the management of the common cold (coryza)?
- Advise parents they’re self limiting, no specific curative treatment
- Pain can be treated with paracetamol or ibuprofen
How long might cough due to coryza continue for?
up to 4 weeks
What is pharyngitis?
pharynx and soft palate are inflamed, local lymph nodes enlarged and tender
What are 4 possible causes of pharyngitis?
- Adenoviruses
- Enteroviruses
- Rhinoviruses
- Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus - in older children
What is tonsillitis?
form of pharyngitis where there is intense inflammation of the tonsils, often with a purulent exudate
What are 2 causative agents of tonsillitis in children?
- group A beta-haemolytic streptococci
- Epstein-Barr virus (infectious mononucleosis)
What are 5 features of tonsillitis that are more common in a bacterial rather than viral tonsillitis?
- Headache
- Apathy
- abdominal pain
- White tonsillar exudate
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
What is the management for severe pharyngitis and tonsillitis?
- 10 day course antibiotics e.g. penicillin V, or erythromycin if allergy
- may hasten recovery for streptococcal infection
- if canot swallow solids or liquids
- hospital admission for IV fluids and analgesia
Why should you avoid amoxicillin for a sore throat?
can cause widespread maculopapular rash if the tonsillitis is due to infectious mononucleosis (EBV)
What can group A streptococcal infection sometimes lead to?
scarlet fever
What age group is it common for group A streptococcal infection to lead to scarlet fever?
children 5-12 years
What is the treatment for scarlet fever?
penicillin V or erythromycin antibiotics
Why is treatment with antibiotics for scarlet fever important?
prevent complications including acute glomerulonephritis or rarely, rheumatic fever
At what age is an episode of acute otitis media most common?
6-12 months
Why are infants and young children prone to acute otitis media?
Eustachian tubes are short, horizontal and function poorly
What are the features of acute otitis media?
pain in ear and fever
What examination must you do in every child who presents with fever?
examine tympanic membranes
What is the appearance of the tympanic membrane in acute otitis media?
bright red and bulging with loss of normal light reflection
occasionally acute perforation of the eardrum with pus visble in the external canal
What are 5 causative agents of acute otitis media?
- RSV
- Rhinovirus
- Pneumococcus
- Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis