Atypical pneumonia Flashcards
(5 cards)
What are some atypical agents causing community-acquired pneumonia?
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Legionella
- Chlamydia pneumoniae
- Coxiella burnetti
Viral causes:
- Influenza A, B
- Parainfluenza
List treatment regimes for mycoplasma treatment?
Mild:
Doxycycline or amoxycillin
Moderate:
Benpen until improvement + doxycycline
Change benpen to amoxycillin
If doxycycline is not suitable then change to clarithromycin.
If hypersensitive to benpen change to ceftriaxone.
Severe:
Ceftriaxone + azithromycin +/- metronidazole (if considering anaerobic growth)
MSSA can give flucloxacillin
MRSA can give vancomycin
Would you consider gentamicin or doxycycline?
You should consider doxycycline first because it’s first-line for atypical pneumonia.
Gentamicin could work but it has significant adverse effects and its mostly recommended for GN bacteria.
What are the key features associated with staph aureus that allows lung abscess formation?
Staph aureus creates cavitating lesion in the lung with fibrosed central necrosis.
This is caused by staphylokinase, hyaluronidase, haemolysin, coagulase, protease, lipase, deoxyribonuclease.
Give a brief description of assessing for suitability to treat for pneumonia at home or hospital.
Prediction rules can be assessed via Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and CURB65.
PSI scores the patient factors such as sex, demographic factors, comorbidities, physical examination and laboratory findings.
CURB65 stands for:
- Confusion (mental test)
- Urea levels increased
- Respiratory rate ≥30 pm
- BP <90 systolic or <60 diastolic
- Age >65
