Respiratory Tract Infections

Question 1

Name some upper respiratory tract conditions?

Answer 1

Common cold – coryza (Adenovirus, Rhinovirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
Sore throat – Pharyngitis
Sinusitis
Epiglottitis

Question 2

Name some lower respiratory tract conditions?

Answer 2

Acute bronchitis
Acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis
Pneumonia
Influenza

Question 3

What are the clinical features of acute bronchitis?

Answer 3

Productive cough
Fever – minority of cases
Normal chest examination
Normal chest X-ray
May have a transient wheeze

Question 4

What is Quincy?

Answer 4

complication of tonsillitis - tonsillar abscess

can be drained but be aware of the ICA (supplys blood to brain and sit behinds it)

Question 5

Name some symptoms of Pneumonia?

Answer 5

Malaise
Anorexia
Sweats
Rigors
Myalgia
Arthralgia
Headache
Confusion
Cough
Pleurisy
Haemoptysis
Dyspnoea
Preceding URTI
Abdominal pain
Diarrhoea

Question 6

Name some clinical signs of pneumonia?

Answer 6

Rigors
Herpes labialis
Tachypnoea
Crackles
Rub
Cyanosis
Hypotension

Question 7

What does a CURB65 score indicate?

Answer 7

30 day mortality levels

Question 8

What does each part of CURB65 mean?

Answer 8

C - new onset of confusion
U - Urea >7
R - Respiratory rate >30/min
B - Blood Pressure (Systolic <90 or Diastolic <61)
65 - 65 age or over

+ 10% if a smoker

Question 9

What antibiotics are used for community aquired pneumonia?

Answer 9

Amoxicillin and Doxycycline

Question 10

Name some complications of pneumonia?

Answer 10

Respiratory failure
Pleural effusion
Empyema
Death