Respiratory Infections Flashcards
(55 cards)
What are some symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection?
Cough Sneezing Runny/stuffy nose Sore throat Headache
What are some symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection?
Cough with phlegm Muscle aches Wheezing Breathlessness Fever Fatigue
What are some symptoms of pneumonia?
Chest pain
Blue tint on lips
Severe fatigue
High fever
How does age have an impact on respiratory infection outcome?
Very old people are at much higher risk and have a higher mortality risk
Very young children (eg under 2) also have a much higher risk
What are some risk factors for pneumonia?
Very young (under 2) Very old (over 65) Smokers Alcoholics Inhaled corticosteroids Immunosupressants PPIs COPD/asthma Heart/liver disease Diabetes mellitus
What is the most common respiratory illness causing pathogen
Rhinovirus
What respiratory illness causing pathogen most commonly causes mortality?
Mycobacterium bovis
What are the 2 ways pneumonia can be acquired?
Hospital
Community
Describe the characteristics of the pneumonia pathogen?
Gram positive
Extracellular
Opportunistic
What is the most common strain of community acquired pneumonia?
Streptococcus pneumoniae
What is hospital acquired pneumonia commonly associated with?
Ventilators
What is different about atypical pneumonia compared to typical?
The pathogens replicate a lot slower than usual and are sometimes more resistant to antibiotics that are commonly given in typical pneumonia
What infection may occur before pneumonia develops?
Bronchitis and bronchiolitis
What does pneumonia impair?
Gas exchange
What are some mechanisms by which pneumonia has bad outcomes?
Lung damage causes hypoxia and respiratory distress syndrome
Bacteremia causes organ infection and eventually sepsis
Systemic inflammation causes sepsis and deterioration
What is the first step in treating bacterial pneumonia?
Supportive treatments:
Oxygen for hypoxemia
Fluids for dehydration
Analgesia for pain
What is the second step in treating bacterial pneumonia?
Use of antibiotics
What type of antibiotic is penicillin?
Beta lactam
How do beta lactams work?
They bind to proteins in the cell wall and prevent transpeptidation
How do macrolides work?
They prevent protein synthesis by binding to the 50 s ribosomes
How can the success of antibiotics be increased?
Increasing the time to administration
Using an antibiotic that is effective (to find this refer to the NICE guidelines)
Give multiple together if needed
Is pneumonia contagious?
Not usually but it can be
What is an opportunistic pathogen?
A pathogen that takes advantage of a change in conditions eg immunosupression
What is a pathbiont?
A pathogen that is commensal but when found in the wrong environment (eg anatomical position), can become pathological
