Pathology of Respiratory Tract Infections Flashcards
(29 cards)
What are some upper respiratory tract infections?
Coryza - common cold Sore throat syndrome Acute laryngotracheobronchitis (Croup) Laryngitis Sinusitis Acute Epiglottitis
What is acute epiglottitis?
When the epiglottis is inflamed and swollen
What can acute epiglottitis be caused by?
Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci
Haemophilus influenzae
Parainfluenza virus type 4
Name some lower respiratory tract infections
Bronchitis
Bronchiolitis
Pneumonia
What are some of the respiratory tract defence mechanisms?
Macrophage-mucociliary escalator system
General immune system
Respiratory tract secretions
Upper respiratory tract as a ‘filter’
What does the macrophage-mucociliary escalator system involve?
Alveolar Macrophages
Mucociliary Escalator
Cough reflex
How is pneumonia classified?
Anatomically
Aetiological
Microbiological
What are the aetiological classifications of pneumonia
Community acquired pneumonia Hospital acquired pneumonia Pneumonia in the immunocompromised Atypical pneumonia Aspiration pneumonia Recurrent pneumonia
What are the patterns of pneumonia?
Bronchopneumonia Segmental Lobar Hypostatic Aspiration Obstructive Retention Endogenous Lipid
What is bronchopneumonia?
Acute inflammation in the lungs so airways are filled with pus
What is lobar and segmental pneumonia?
When the organisms are more invasive and the material is washed around an anatomical area so that, for example, a whole lobe is effected
What is hypostatic pneumonia?
When a person has for other reasons a build up of things in the lung that gets easily infected
What are the possible outcomes of pneumonia?
Mostly it is resolved Pleurisy Pleural effusion Empyema Organisation Lung abscess Bronchiectasis
What is pleurisy?
Inflammation of the pleura
What is pleural effusion?
Gathering of fluid in the pleural cavity
What is empyema?
When the fluid in the pleural cavity is infected
What can cause a lung abscess?
Obstructed bronchus Aspiration Strap aureus Some pneumococci Klebsiella Necrotic lung
What is bronchiectasis?
Pathological dilatation of bronchi
What can cause bronchiectasis?
Severe infective episode
Recurrent infections
Proximal bronchial obstruction
Lung parenchymal destruction
What are the signs of bronchiectasis?
Cough Abundant purulent foul sputum Haemoptysis Signs of chronic infection Coarse crackling breath sounds Clubbing of the finger nails
When does bronchiectasis normally start?
75% start in childhood
Where are aspirations most commonly found in the lung?
Apical segment of the right lobe
What is the blood-air barrier?
Where gas exchange occurs
What happens during type 2 respiratory failure?
The whole respiratory mechanism cant maintain enough gas coming in and out of the chest to blow of the CO2 in the circulations
