RTI's (bacterial) Flashcards
(88 cards)
How are RTIs normally divided?
Into lower and upper tract infections
What two types of infections are grouped into lower tract infections?
- Pneumonia (CA and nosocomial)
2. AECB/AE-COPD
What does AECB/AE-COPD stand for?
Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis / acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
What 3 infections are grouped into upper tract infections?
Pharyngitis
Otitis media
Sinusitis
What is the most common type of sample to obtain from someone with a lower tract infection?
Sputum
What are 7 types of specimens you can obtain to test for an RTI ?
Sputum BAL / bronchial washing Nasopharyngeal aspirates / swabs Endotracheal aspirates Sinus aspirates Tympanocentesis Throat swabs
What is the pathogen most commonly associated with all RTIs (with the exception of pharyngitis)?
Streptococcus pneumoniae
What are the 3 common (not atypical) pathogens responsible for RTIs?
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
What are the 3 atypical pathogens commonly associated with RTIs?
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Chlamydophyla pneumoniae
- Legionella pneumophila
What are the 2 major causes (pathogens/types of pathogen) for community acquired pneumonia?
- Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%)
2. Atypical pathogens (30%)
Why can you not treat CA pneumonia empirically with a a ß-lactam?
Because it won’t deal with the atypical pathogens that are the cause in 30% of cases
Define pneumonia
an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the alveoli (microscopic air sacs)
What are the three “types” of pneumonia?
CAP: community acquired
HAP: hospital acquired
VAP: ventilator associated pneumonia
What pathogens tend to be the cause of HAP and VAP?
gram negatives and anaerobes
- ex: Klebsiella, S. aureus
What are some typical signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
fever,cough (productive or dry), chest pain,shortness of breath
Why are throat swabs useless for diagnosing pneumonia?
Because 5-10 % of adults and 20-40% of children have their nasopharynx colonizes by streptococcus pneumoniae
What are the main features (atmosphere, shape, testing, susceptibilities) of Strep. pneumoniae?
- small gram positive diplococci
- alpha haemolytic
- bile soluble
- optochin sensitive
- growth often enhanced in CO2 atmosphere
- most are encapsulated
Streptococcus pneumoniae being soluble in bile and sensitive to optochin allows it to be separated from…?
other viridans group strep
What are 6 factors that can predispose someone to developing a pneumococcal infection?
- defective Ab formation
- insufficient numbers of neutrophils
- day-cares, military, prisons, shelters (close quarters)
- chronic respiratory disease (i.e. COPD)
- infancy and aging
- diabetes, alcoholism, liver disease (comorbidities)
What is the most important virulence factor for S. pneumoniae?
Capsule formation!
What two jobs does the capsule have for S. pneumoniae?
- Helping the bacteria escape from phagocytic cells
2. Help form adherence + colonization
What are 2 other virulence factors used by S. pneumoniae?
- Pneumolysin (hemolysin)
2. Secretory IgA protease
What does pneumolysin do? (3 things)
- destroys ciliated epithelial cells
- suppress oxidative burst by phagocytic cells
- activates the classical complement pathway
What two vaccines exist against pneumococcal infections?
- Pneumovax (pneumococcal vaccine)
2. PREVNAR (conjugate vaccine)