Week 5 Upper and lower Respiratory Tract Infection Flashcards
What are the different normal flora in the URTI?
Streptococcus viridans, commensal Neisseria spp., diphtheroids, anaerobes.
Give examples of infections that cause transient colonisation post antibiotics?
Coliforms, Pseudomonas, Candida
What respiratory pathogens are usually asymptomatic but can become symptomatic due to another infection?
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes
Sit in your throat
How are Upper respiratory tract infections transmitted?
Coughs and sneezes spread diseases”
DROPLET spread. Hand washing and decontamination very important
What group of people are most likely to get URTI?
Most often v. young children/teenagers
Winter/viral. Bacterial and viral common in children.
Also immunocompromised people
What is the strategy used when GP are prescribing antibiotics? For kids and adults over the age of 3
Address concerns – have 1 of 3 strategies
No prescribing
Delayed prescribing
Prescribe if risk of complications
What is the main disease that caues a cold?
Rhinovirus
What are less common causes of the cold?
Coronoviruses RSV, Parainfluenza viruses Enteroviruses Adenovirus
What is symptoms of cold?
Nasal discharge, sneezing and sore throat
What is Coryza?
The common cold
What are the symptoms of Rhino-sinusitis?
Facial pain, nasal blockage, reduction smell
What is the aetiology of Rhino-sinusitis?
Post viral inflammation
What are the causes of Rhino-sinusitis?
Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus milleri group, anaerobes, fungal
What are the complications of Rhino-sinusitis?
chronic sinusitis,
Osteomyelitis,
meningitis,
cerebral abscess
What are less common causes of Rhino-sinusitis?
Allergic and non-infective causes
What are the investigations for Rhino-sinusitis?
Imaging
Sinus washouts
When using imaging for a patient with Rhino-Sinusitis what are you investigating?
Imaging for severe or suspected complications – Sinus X-ray, CT or MRI scans. See air fluid levels.
What is Sinus washouts ?
Diagnostic and therapeutic after referral to ENT.
Relieve some of the symptoms and so be able to get some sample to give to microbiologists
What are the treatment for Rhino-Sinusitis?
Treatment - if viral, no antibiotics. Many patients improve without antibiotics anyway.
Otherwise cover suspected/proven bacterial pathogens e.g. amoxicillin if severe disease
What is a uncommon cause of Rhino-Sinusitis?
Dental problem
What is the difference between pharyngitis and tonsillitis?
Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are infections in the throat that cause inflammation.
If the tonsils are primarily affected, it is called tonsillitis.
If the throat is primarily affected, it is called pharyngitis.
What are the viral causes of pharyngitis/tonsillitis?
Viral (RSV, Influenza, Adeno, Epstein barr virus, HSV1)
What is the main bacterial causes of pharyngitis/tonsillitis?
Streptococcus pyogenes,
What are the rarer bacterial causes of pharyngitis/tonsillitis?
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Corynebacterium diphtheria
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Chlamydophila pneumoniae
What investigation is done when a person is suspected of pharyngitis/tonsillitis?
Throat swabs and proper history
What are the signs and symptoms of pharyngitis/tonsillitis?
Sore throat , dysphagia, fever, headache, red tonsillar/uvular area +/- exudate. Lymphadenopathy
What does Group A Streptococcal Infection cause and in what group of people?
Pharyngitis/Tonsillitis in children
What complications can be caused when a child is infected with Group A Streptococcal Infection?
acute glomerulonephritis
rheumatic fever
scarlet fever
How do you prevent a child infected with Group A Streptococcal Infection getting scarlet fever?
Aim to prevent this rheumatic fever by giving penicilli
What other conditions do you try and prevent from occuring in a patient with Group A Streptococcal Infection?
Prevent suppurative complications too –> e.g. otitis media and quinsy (peritonsillar abscess))
What causes glandular fever?
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV
Who is at most risk of glandular fever?
Teenagers and older. Often asymptomatic.
What are the symptoms of glandular fever?
Sore throat, fever, cervical lymphadenopathy
What are the complications of glandular fever?
splenic rupture
What should you avoid when a person has glandular fever?
Avoid ampicillin (mac-pap rash, not a true allergy)
Why should you not do contact sport for some weeks when you have glandular fever?
Cause your spleen to rupture
How do you test for glandular fever?
Serology – IgM/IgG, Paul Bunnell Test/PCR
What is Diptheria?
An acute and highly contagious bacterial disease causing inflammation of the mucous membranes in the throat
What causes diptheria?
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
What are the symptoms of diptheria?
Malaise, fatigue, fever +/- sore throat
What is the treatment of Diptheria?
Treatment is Erythromycin/ penicillin/antitoxin
What is the prevention steps for Diptheria?
Prevention is Immunisation
travel history
Notifiable disease
What caues Thrush?
Candida, usually after antibiotics or steroids
What happens in Epiglottitis?
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Cellulitis of epiglottis (“cherry red”) – airway obstruction
What are symptoms of Epiglottitis?
Fever, irritable, difficulty speaking (“hot potato”) and swallowing.
Leans forward, drools.
Stridor, hoarse.
How can you investigate a epiglottitis?
Lateral neck X-ray – enlarged epiglottis
Must send blood cultures
When a person has epiglottitis why do you send blood cultures and not a mouth swab?
You do not swab or examine epiglottis unless already intubated, or can intubate immediately (theatre).
What is the treatment of epiglottitis ?
maintain airway, cefotaxime
What used to be a common cause of epiglottitis?
H. influenzae type B prior to immunization
What is laryngitis?
Inflammation of the larynx
What is the symptoms of acute laryngitis?
Hoarse/husky voice, globus pharyngeus (lump in throat), fever, myalgia, dysphagia
Cause of acute laryngitis?
Usually viral and self-limiting, occasionally it is bacterial
Is antibiotics given to a person with acute laryngitis?
No unless if the patient has a severe disease
What are non infection causes of acute laryngitis?
voice abuse, malignancy
What is Croup/Acute laryngotracheobronchitis?
Inflammation of larynx and trachea after infection of upper airways
Common in children
What is the cause of Croup/Acute laryngotracheobronchitis?
Viral esp. parainfluenza type 2 therefore NO antibiotics also Respiratory Syncytial Virus
What is the treatment for Croup/Acute laryngotracheobronchitis?
Symptomatic treatment only
What is the cause of Whooping cough?
Bordetella pertussis - Gram negative coccobacillus
Does whooping cough just happen in children?
No happens in adults as well as the immunization can wear off.
Very contagious
How do you test fr whooping cough?
Pernasal swab and PCR
How long is the incubation period for whooping cough?
1-3 wks
What are the initial symptoms of whooping cough?
Initially catarrhal phase – runny nose, fever, malaise
What is catarrhal?
is a disorder of inflammation of the mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body
What is the symptoms of whooping cough after few weeks?
Dry non productive cough. This becomes whooping/paroxysms. (short bursts on exhalation, then inspiratory gasp which is the whoop.