pathology of respiratory tract infection Flashcards

1
Q

what 3 factors affect lung infections

A

microorganism pathogenicity
capacity to resist infection
population at risk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

microorganism pathogenicity (3)

A

primary - very infective and dangerous
facultative - need help to spread e.g. immunosuppression
opportunistic - generally wouldnt be able to cause infection in a healthy person, require significant reduction in defence mechanisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

capacity to resist infection (2)

A

state of host defence mechanisms

age of patient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

population at risk

A

exposure is necessary to be able to contract the disease
environment - susceptible to host breeding
living conditions and the ability of the pathogen to spread

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

6 type of URTI

A
coryza - common cold 
sore throat syndrome
acute laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) 
laryngitis
sinusitis
acute epiglottitis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what organism causes the majority of URTI

A

viral infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

acute epiglottitis causative organism

A
haemopholius influenzae (type B - Hib)
group A beta haemolytic streptococci - complete haemolysis 
rarely cause by parainfluenza virus type 4 but other viruses may be responsible
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what does acute epiglottitis cause

A

dramatic swelling of the epiglottis
can obstruct the airway
can be fatal in paediatrics but is treatable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

3 type of LRTI

A

bronchitis
bronchiolitis
pneumonia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

is bronchiectasis an infection

A

NO
widening of the airways
build up of XS mucus
prone to infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is bronchitis

A

inflammation of the bronchus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is bronchiolitis

A

bronchiole inflammation

caused by RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what part of the lung does pneumonia involve

A

infection involving the conducting part of the lung (alveolar airspace)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

4 types of respiratory tract defence mechanisms

A

MACROPHAGE MICOCILIARY ESCALATOR
general immune system (humoral and cellular)
respiratory tract secretions
URT as a filter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

role of upper respiratory tract as a filter

A

nasal hair acts as a filter
turbulent airflow
lined with mucus to trap material

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

role of respiratory secretions in preventing infection - problems

A

XS of secretions e.g. mucus in CF, pulmonary oedema in cardia failure
accumulation of secretions leads to increased chance of infection - acts as a culture medium and organisms can escape the defence mechanisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

3 components of the macrophage mucociliary escalator

A

alveolar macrophages
mucociliary escalator
cough reflex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

role of alveolar macrophages

A

phagocytic

remove material that has reached the alveolar airspace

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

role of mucociliary escalator

A

system of moving mucus from the lower lungs up into the throat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

role of the cough reflex

A

kicks in to help us expel what has been removed from the lungs or we swallow it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

is the normal LRT sterile?

A

YES

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what are two important factors that affect the health of the MC escalator

A

temperature

humidity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

viral infection and the MC escalator

A

viral infections can lead to damage to the MC escalator
e.g. influenza infection: cells are targeted, cytopathic effect, in severe infection the normal ciliated epithelium is replaced by useless virus infected cells, higher risk of 2y bacterial infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

effect of bronchiolitis

A

bronchioles are usually the target of viral infection
inflammation
inflammatory exudate which accumulates in the airways and can cause respiratory distress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

classification of pneumonia (3)

A

anatomical - what part of the lung is affected
aetiological - circumstances under which the infection occurred
microbiological -appropriate for treatment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

aetiological classification of pneumonia

A

community acquired
hospital acquired (nosocomial)
in the immunocompromised
atypical - unusual organisms
aspiration - substances that should have gone down digestive tract
recurrent - consider how patient’s defence mechanisms are failing

27
Q

patterns of pneumonia

A

bronchopnuemonia, segmental, lobar - important for anatomical pneumonia (how much of the lung is infected and where)

hypostatic - lots of lung secretions are accumulating, aspiration, obstructive + retention (both related to cancer), endogenous lipid

28
Q

bronchopneumonia

A

affects bronchioles and alveoli surrounding the bronchioles
acute inflammation - neutrophil polymorphs may be seen in sputum sample
focal process - localised infection in the small airways and nearby alveolated lung tissue
often doesnt reach the pleura

usually have another disease which leads to bronchopneumonia e.g. COPD - facultative pathogens

29
Q

bronchopneumonia on CXR

A

often bilateral basal patchy opacification

focal nature of consolidation

30
Q

lobar pneumonia

A

seen from 1y pathogens in young, healthy people

vigorous inflammtory response and inflammation fills the entire lung/lobe until they can spread out further

31
Q

outcome/complications of pneumonia

A
MOST RESOLVE 
pleurisy, pleural effusion ,empyema - pus accumulates in pleural space
organisation
lung abscess
bronchiectasis 
potentially fatal
32
Q

organisation as an outcome of pneumonia

A

mass lesion - less common, scar/fibrous tissue, often confused with cancer
COP (cryptogenic organising pneumonia - BOOP)
constrictive bronchiolitis

33
Q

conditions where lung abscesses are more likely to develop

A

obstructed bronchus (tumour)
aspiration
S. aureus, some pneumococci, Klebsiella

very rare: metastatic in pyaemia, necrotic lung (2y infection)

34
Q

lung abscess

A

can be fatal
infection is present as well as destruction and necrosis of the infected tissue - space develops where pus can accumulate

35
Q

bronchiectasis is the pathological dilation of bronchi due to: (4)

A

severe infective episode
recurrent infections
proximal bronchial obstruction
lung parenchymal destruction

36
Q

clinical symptoms of bronchiectasis

A
75% start in childhood
COUGH, ABUNDANT PURULENT FOUL SPUTUM
haemoptysis
signs of chronic infection
coarse crackles
clubbing
37
Q

infections and treatment of bronchiectasis

A

thin section CT
postural drainage
Abx
surgery - resect affected area f lung

38
Q

complications of bronchiectasis

A

acute/chronic suppuration

haemorrhage - severe risk in bronchiectasis, can be fatal

39
Q

recurrent lung infection

A

local bronchial obstruction - tumour, foreign body
local pulmonary damage - bronchiectasis
generalised lung disease - CF, COPD
non-respiratory disease, HIV/other, aspiration

40
Q

aspiration pneumonia

A
vomiting 
oesophageal lesion
obstetric anaesthesia
neuromuscular disorders
sedation
41
Q

where does aspirated material tend to end up

A

right main bronchus

apical segment of right lower lobe

42
Q

opportunistic infections

A

increased change of ‘ordinary infections’

caused by opportunistic pathogens

43
Q

opportunistic pathogens

A

not normally capable of producing disease in patients with intact lung defences

low grade bacterial pathogens
CMV
pneumocystitis jirovecii
other fungi and yeasts

44
Q

normal air flow in airways

A

bulk flow - laminar (trachea and main bronchi, bronchioles), turbulent (nose)
depends on pressure difference

45
Q

what causes the blood air barrier

A

alveolar lung tissue

46
Q

why is Hb 98% saturated at FIO2 21%

A

affinity for oxygen

47
Q

solubility of CO2

A

very soluble

rapidly equilibrates between blood and air

48
Q

normal PaO2

A

10.5-13.5kPa

49
Q

normal PaCO2

A

4.8-6.0kPa

50
Q

type I respiratory failure

A

PaO2 <8kPa
PaCO2 normal or low
fall in [O2] in peripheral arterial blood
generally occurs as a result of gas exchange failure in part or all of lungs

51
Q

type II respiratory failure

A

PaCO2 >6.5kPa
PaO2 usually low
failure to get rid of CO2
failure in ventilation

52
Q

4 abnormal states associated with hypoxaemia

A

ventilation/perfusion imbalance
diffusion impairment
alveolar hypoventilation
shunt

53
Q

pulmonary vascular changes in hypoxia

A

physiological pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstriction

it is a protective mechanism to avoid sending blood to alveoli short of oxygen

54
Q

physiological pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstricton

A

occurs when alveolar oxygen tension falls
can be localised effect
ALL VESSELS CONSTRICT if there is arterial hypoxaemia i.e. global lung disease

55
Q

why does hypoxaemia occur in pnuemonia

A

V/Q mismatch - bronchitis/bronchopnuemonia (some ventilation of abnormal alveoli but not enough)
shunt - severe bronchopneumonia, lobar pattern with large areas of consolidation (large amount of lung isn’t engaging in any gas exchange but is still being perfused)

56
Q

V/Q mismatch

A

low V/Q is commonest cause of hypoxaemia
low V/Q in some alveoli arises due to local alveolar hypoventilation due to some, focal disease
hypoxaemia due to low V/Q responds well to small increases of FIO2

57
Q

define shunt

A

blood passing from R to L side of heart without contacting ventilated alveoli
normally 2-4% shunt

58
Q

when does pathological shunt occur

A

AV malformations
congenital heart disease
pulmonary disease

59
Q

how do large shunts respond to increase in FIO2

A

they respond poorly

blood leaving NORMAL lung is already 98% saturated

60
Q

why does hypoxamia occur in COPD (4)

A

airway obstruction
reduced respiratory drive
loss of alveolar SA
only during acute exacerbation

61
Q

alveolar hypoventilation

A

insufficient amount of air moved in and out of lungs
increased PACO2, increased PaCO2
decreased PAO2, decreased PaO2
fall in PaO2 due to hypoventilation is corrected by raising FIO2

62
Q

why does pulmonary hypertension occur in hypoxic cor pulmonale (5)

A
PULMONARY VASOCONSTRICTION
pulmonary arterioles (muscle hypertrophy and intimal fibrosis)
loss of capillary bed
2y polycythaemia (high [RBC] in blood)
bronchopulmonary arterial anastamoses
63
Q

define chronic (hypoxic) cor pulmonale

A

hypertrophy of the RV resulting from disease affecting the function and/or structure of the lung

except where pulmonary alterations are the result of diseases primarily affecting the L side of the heart or congenital heart disease