Pathology of Pneumonia: Part 3 - Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Acute Pneumonia

Question 1

clinical signs and symptoms

what are 4 symptoms of acute pneumonia

Answer 1

• fever
• chills
• dyspnoea
• severe cough with or without sputum

NOTE: these symptoms are common among lung infections in general, so can be found in other diseases

Question 2

what is the aetiology of Pneumonia when sputum is:

- purulent (pus containing)

- watery

Answer 2

Purulent:
- bacteria

watery:
- virus

Question 3

what is seen clinically upon ascultation and radiograph

Answer 3

Ascultation:
- crackles

radiograph:
- consolidation

Question 4

how can you diagnose if pneumonia is from bacteria or from viruses

Answer 4

from sputum samples

Question 5

what are 5 screening methods that can be used to diagnose pneumonia

Answer 5

• Gram-Staining
• bacterial culture
• ELISA
• PCR
• sequencing

Question 6

what are 2 other ways that you can diagnose/work towards diagnosis for pneumonia other than screening methods and sputum samples

Answer 6

• X-ray
• Full blood count with pulse oximetry

Question 7

what is the main treatment for acute pneumonia and what type of pathogens does this eliminate

Answer 7

• antibiotics
• eliminates bacteria

Question 8

how can you treat pneumonia caused by viruses

Answer 8

through antivirals

Question 9

possible outcomes of pneumonia

outline the resolution process of the lungs in someone that recovers from pneumonia

Answer 9

1. destruction of connective tissue is **minimal **or absent
2. neutrophils destroy pathogen and neutrophil enzymes liquidify exudate. Fibrin breakdown and phagocytosis of dead cells occurs.
3. liquidified exudate is either coughed up, reabsorbed by capillaries or drained into the lymph
4. epithelial stem cell proliferation occurs and then and differentiation into type I and type II pneumocytes

Question 10

state 4 possible outcomes of pneumonia if resolution doesn’t happen

Answer 10

• Organisation of scar tissue and fibrosis from destruction of connective tissue (possible bronchiectasis)
• Abscess formation & empyema
• Bacteraemia, leading to sepsis, meningitis or infective endocarditis
• Death