Diseases of the Respiratory system
Diseases of the Respiratory system
Alergies
Allergens
Substances triggering allergic reactions may cause asthma
attacks ("occupational asthma") in susceptible workers; the
condition may account for as many as 15 percent of all newly
diagnosed U.S. cases of asthma in adults, and it is the most
prevalent occupational lung disease in developed countries.
Such substances may also cause a condition known as
hypersensitivity pneumonitis (lung inflammation). If
exposure continues, it may lead to irreversible pulmonary
fibrosis, a process that causes formation of fibrous tissue
within the lungs and makes breathing progressively more
difficult.
Many substances have been implicated in occupational
asthma, including grain dusts, fungi, metals, resins, animal
proteins, plant products, dyes, drugs, and a variety of chemicals.
Among the many affected categories of workers: bakers, animal
handlers, pharmaceutical workers, food processors, carpenters,
painters, insulation workers, cleaners, electronics workers,
hairdressers, and health professionals.
Diagnosing Allergies
If you or someone in your family has asthma, you will want to
see an asthma specialist. In chapter 2 we outlined the diagnostic
workup that your doctor is likely to go through in determining
whether you have asthma and how severe the asthma is. Since it
is likely that if you have asthma you also have allergies, it
is also important to know what allergens might be triggering
your asthma.
Allergists have tools at their disposal to identify what substances
cause your allergies and which of these substances may trigger an
asthma attack. Perhaps the two most common of these tools are a
blood test (called RAST) to determine levels of IgE antibodies,
and skin tests to determine what substances can trigger allergies
and allergy-triggered asthma. Skin tests are more sensitive in
predicting an allergy than the RAST test and cost less. A blood
test and skin tests to determine levels of IgE antibodies can be
an important tool in identifying allergies. If these tests detect
elevated levels of IgE antibodies in the blood, an allergic
condition is likely. For some people who also have documented
asthma, high levels of IgE in the blood may indicate the need
for aggressive use of asthma medications to lower the chance
of experiencing severe asthma attacks. Whether you or your
family member has asthma, if these tests determine high IgE
levels, your doctor will want to perform other tests to confirm
these results and determine what substances can trigger an
allergic reaction.
When performing skin tests, doctors use diluted liquids made
from the actual allergens. Skin tests can check for allergies
to various types of pollens, molds, foods, and animal danders.
The allergist applies these liquid allergens by pricking the
surface of the skin and dropping a tiny amount of the allergen
extract into the scratch mark. After 15 to 20 minutes, he or
she will check to see if any of the allergens cause a small
"mosquito-bite" type of allergic reaction. What the allergist
is looking for is a kind of rash or hive that doctors call a
wheal. If you have allergies, you have IgE antibodies that
recognize and react to any of the substances that causes a
wheal. However, only with a careful history taken by the
allergist can your doctor decide what substances trigger
your disease.
WHAT ARE ASTHMA AND ALLERGY TRIGGERS?
If you or someone you know have allergic symptoms or asthma,
you are sensitive to "triggers," including particles carried
in the air. These "triggers" can set off a reaction in your
lungs and other parts of your body. Triggers can be found
indoors or outdoors. They can be simple things like:
„h Cold air.
„h Tobacco smoke and wood smoke.
„h Perfume, paint, hair spray, or any strong odors or fumes.
„h Allergens (particles that cause allergies) such as dust
mites, pollen, molds, pollution, and animal dander (which
are tiny scales or particles that fall off hair, feathers
or skin) from any pets.
„h Common cold, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses.
You may be able to add more triggers to this list. Other
things may also trigger your asthma or allergies. It's important
to learn which triggers are a problem for you. Ask your doctor
to help. Your doctor my suggest:
„h Keeping an asthma diary.
„h Skin testing to test for allergies.
„h A special diet to look for food allergies.
„h Cold air.
Finding triggers isn't always easy. If you do know your
triggers, cutting down exposure to them may help avoid
asthma and allergy attacks.
If you don't know your triggers, try to limit your exposure
to one suspected trigger at a time. Watch to see if you get
better. This may show you if the trigger was a problem for you.
REDUCING TRIGGERS IN THE HOME
Tobacco Smoke
Smoke should not be allowed in the home of someone with asthma
or allergies. Ask family members and friends to smoke outdoors.
Suggest that they quit smoking. Your local American Lung
Association can help. Ask your Lung Association how you can
help a family member or friend quit smoking.
Wood Smoke
Wood smoke is a problem for children and adults with asthma
and allergies. Avoid wood stoves and fireplaces.
<>iPets
Almost all pets can cause allergies, including dogs and
especially cats. Small animals like birds, hamsters and
guinea pigs can cause problems, so all pets should be
removed from the home if pets trigger asthma and allergy
symptoms.
Pet allergen may stay in the home for months after the pet
is gone because it remains in house dust. Allergy and asthma
symptoms may take some time to get better.
If the pet stays in the home, keep it out of the bedroom of
anyone with asthma or allergies. Weekly pet baths may help
cut down the amount of pet saliva and dander in the home.
Sometimes you hear that certain cats or dogs are
"non-allergenic." There really is no such thing as a
"non-allergenic" cat or dog, especially if the pet leaves
dander and saliva in the home. Goldfish and other tropical
fish may be a good substitute.
Cockroaches
Even cockroaches can cause problems, so it's important to
get rid of roaches in your home. The cockroach allergen
comes from dead roaches and roach droppings. It collects
in house dust and is hard to remove. Careful cleaning
(see tips under "Dust Mites") of your home will help.
Indoor Mold
When humidity is high, molds can be a problem in bathrooms,
kitchens, and basements. Make sure these areas have good air
circulation and are cleaned often. The basement in particular
may need a dehumidifier. And remember, the water in the
dehumidifier must be emptied and the container cleaned often
to prevent forming mildew.
Molds may form on foam pillows when you perspire. To prevent
mold, put the pillow in an airtight cover and tape the cover
shut. Wash the pillow every week, and make sure to change it
every year.
Molds also form in house plants, so check them often. You may
have to keep all plants outdoors.
Strong Odors or Fumes
Perfume, room deodorizers, cleaning chemicals, paint, and
talcum powder are examples of triggers that must be avoided
or kept to very low levels.
Dust Mites
Dust mites are tiny, microscopic spiders usually found in
house dust. Several thousand mites can be found in a pinch
of dust. Mites are one of the major triggers for people with
allergies and asthma. They need the most work to remove.
Use an allergy control solution, a cleaner that can kill the
mite allergen. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about
what cleaner to buy.
WHAT IS CHRONIC BRONCHITIS?
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial
tubes. These tubes, the bronchi connect the windpipe with the
lungs. When the bronchi are inflamed and/or infected, less air
is able to flow to and from the lungs and a heavy mucus or
phlegm is coughed up. This is bronchitis. Many people suffer
a brief attack of acute bronchitis with cough and mucus
production when they have severe colds. Acute bronchitis
is usually not associated with fever.
Chronic bronchitis is defined by the presence of a mucus-producing
cough most days of the month, three months of a year for two
successive years without other underlying disease to explain the
cough. It may precede or accompany pulmonary emphysema.
WHAT CAUSES CHRONIC BRONCHITIS?
Cigarette smoking is by far the most common cause of chronic
bronchitis. The bronchial tubes of people with chronic bronchitis
may also have been irritated initially by bacterial or viral
infections. Air pollution and industrial dusts and fumes are also
causes.
Once the bronchial tubes have been irritated over a long period
of time, excessive mucus is produced constantly, the lining of
the bronchial tubes becomes thickened, an irritating cough develops,
air flow may be hampered, and the lungs are endangered. The bronchial
tubes then make an ideal breeding place for infections.
WHO GETS CHRONIC BRONCHITIS?
Over 8.8 million Americans are diagnosed with chronic bronchitis
annually. The prevalence rate of chronic bronchitis has been
consistently higher in females than in males. Chronic bronchitis
affects people of all ages, but is higher in those over 45 years
old.
No matter what their occupation or lifestyle, people who smoke
cigarettes are those most likely to develop chronic bronchitis.
But workers with certain jobs, especially those involving high
concentrations of dust and irritating fumes, are also at high risk
of developing this disease.
Higher rates of chronic bronchitis are found among coal miners,
grain handlers, metal molders, and other workers exposed to dust.
Chronic bronchitis symptoms worsen when atmospheric concentrations
of sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants increase. These symptoms
are intensified when individuals also smoke.
HOW SERIOUS IS CHRONIC BRONCHITIS?
In 1999, aver 8.8 million Americans were diagnosed with chronic
bronchitis.
During that same year over 1,100 American died as a result of
chronic bronchitis.
Together with emphysema and other chronic lower respiratory
disease, excluding asthma, COPD is the fourth leading cause of
death in the US.
Chronic bronchitis is often neglected by individuals until it is
in an advanced state, because people mistakenly believe that the
disease is not life-threatening. By the time a patient goes to
his or her doctor the lungs have frequently been seriously
injured. Then the patient may be in danger of developing serious
respiratory problems or heart failure.
HOW CHRONIC BRONCHITIS ATTACKS
Chronic bronchitis doesn't strike suddenly. After a winter cold
seems cured, an individual may continue to cough and produce large
amounts of mucus for several weeks. Since people who get chronic
bronchitis are often smokers, the cough is usually dismissed as
only "smoker's cough."
As time goes on, colds become more damaging. Coughing and bringing
up phlegm last longer after each cold.
Without realizing it, one begins to take this coughing and mucus
production as a matter of course. Soon they are present all the
time, before colds, during colds, after colds, all year round.
Generally, the cough is worse in the morning and in damp, cold
weather. An ounce or more of yellow mucus may be coughed up each
day.
TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC BRONCHITIS
The treatment of chronic bronchitis is primarily aimed at reducing
irritation in the bronchial tubes.The discovery of antibiotic drugs
has been helpful in treating acute bacterial infection associated
with chronic bronchitis. However people with chronic bronchitis do
not need to take antibiotics continually.
Bronchodilator drugs may be prescribed to help relax and open up
air passages in the lungs, if there is a tendency for these to
close up. These drugs may be inhaled as aerosol sprays or taken as
pills.
To effectively control chronic bronchitis, it is necessary to
eliminate sources of irritation and infection in the nose, throat,
mouth, sinuses, and bronchial tubes. This means an individual must
avoid polluted air and dusty working conditions and give up smoking.
Your local American Lung Association can suggest methods to help
you quit smoking.
If the person with chronic bronchitis is exposed to dust and fumes
at work, the doctor may suggest changing the work environment.
All persons with chronic bronchitis must develop and follow a plan
for a healthy lifestyle. Improving one's general health also
increases the body's resistance to infections.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAVE CHRONIC BRONCHITIS?
A good health plan for any person with chronic bronchitis should
include these rules:
See your doctor or follow your doctor's instructions at the
beginning of any cold or respiratory infection.
Don't smoke! Contact your local American Lung Association
at1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) for information on how to
quit smoking.
Follow a nutritious, well-balanced diet, and maintain your
ideal body weight.
Get regular exercise daily, without tiring yourself too much.
Ask your doctor about getting vaccinated against influenza and
pneumococcal pneumonia.
Avoid exposure to colds and influenza at home or in public, and
avoid respiratory irritants such as secondhand smoke, dust, and
other air pollutants.
WHAT IS INFLUENZA (FLU) AND HOW IS IT CAUSED?
Influenza is a contagious disease caused by a virus. A virus is
a germ that is very small. Influenza viruses infect many parts
of the body, including the lungs.
When someone who has influenza sneezes, coughs, or even talks,
the influenza virus is expelled into the air and may be inhaled
by anyone close by.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET INFLUENZA?
When influenza strikes the lungs, the lining of the respiratory
tract is damaged. The tissues become swollen and inflamed.
Fortunately, the damage is rarely permanent. The tissues usually
heal within a few weeks.
Influenza is often called a respiratory disease, but it affects
the whole body. The victim usually becomes acutely ill with fever,
chills, weakness, loss of appetite and aching of the head, back,
arms and legs. The influenza sufferer may also have a sore throat
and a dry cough, nausea, and burning eyes.
The fever mounts quickly; temperature may rise to 104 degrees
F but after two or three days, it usually subsides. The patient
is often left exhausted for days afterwards.
IS INFLUENZA CONSIDERED SERIOUS
For healthy children and adults, influenza is typically a
moderately severe illness. Most people are back on their feet
within a week.
For people who are not healthy or well to begin with, influenza
can be very severe and even fatal. The symptoms described above
have a greater impact on these persons. In addition, complications
can occur.
Most of these complications are bacterial infections because the
body can be so weakened by influenza that its defenses against
bacteria are low. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common serious
complication of influenza. In addition the sinuses and inner ears
may become inflamed and painful.Disease.html
WHO GETS INFLUENZA?
Anyone can get influenza, especially when it is widespread in the
community. In 1996 alone, over 95 million cases of the flu were
reported. People who are not healthy or well to begin with are
particularly susceptible to the complications that can follow.
These people are known as "high risk" and should be immunized.
For anyone at high risk, influenza is a very serious illness.
You may be at high risk if you:
Have chronic lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, chronic
bronchitis, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, or cystic fibrosis.
Have heart disease.
Have chronic kidney disease.
Have diabetes or another chronic metabolic disorder.
Have severe anemia.
Have diseases or are having treatments that depress immunity.
Are residing in a nursing home or other chronic care facility.
Are over 50 years of age.
A doctor, nurse, or other provider of care to high-risk persons
should be immunized to protect high-risk patients.
Many experts now recommend that any person who wishes to avoid
the flu should be vaccinated. This includes those suffering from
asthma. A recent American Lung Association;reg study found that
the flu vaccine is safe for, and well tolerated in, people with
asthma. Another recent study suggested that the vaccine may be
important for infants.
HOW ARE INFLUENZA AND COMPLICATIONS PREVENTED?
Influenza can be prevented with a high degree of success when a
person receives the current influenza vaccine or influenza shot.
This vaccine is made each year so that the vaccine can contain
influenza viruses that are expected to cause illness that year.
The viruses in the vaccine are inactivated so that someone
vaccinated cannot get influenza from the vaccine. Instead the
person vaccinated develops protection in his or her body in the
form of substances called antibodies.
The amount of antibodies in the body is greatest 1 or 2 months
after vaccination and then gradually declines. For that reason and
because the influenza viruses usually change each year, people
should be vaccinated each fall with the new vaccine.
October 15th to November 15th is the best time to get your
influenza shot. Such a yearly vaccination has been found to be
about 75 percent effective in preventing influenza. It may also
reduce the severity of influenza and can be lifesaving. However,
it's OK to get the shot earlier. Since the vaccine takes about 2
weeks to begin its effect. A later vaccination can also provide
substantial protection. Until the flu season is over, it's never
"too late" to get a flu shot.
The influenza shot is covered by Medicare and some other health
plans.
At the first sign of influenza symptoms see your doctor. Some
doctors use a new rapid point of care test given in a doctors
office which can diagnose all strains of influenza A and B. Many
physicians now use antiviral medications when they are confident
of the diagnosis.
Two antiviral drugs called amantadine and rimantadine can be used
to help prevent and treat influenza A. Newer antiviral drugs,
Zanamivir and Oseltamivir, are active against both A & B types.
WHAT ABOUT REACTIONS TO THE VACCINE?
Most people have little or no reaction to the vaccine. One in four
might have a swollen, red, tender area where the vaccination was
given.
A much smaller number, probably more children than adults, might
also develop a slight fever within 24 hours. They may have chills
or a headache, or feel a little sick. People who already have a
respiratory disease may find their symptoms worsened. Usually none
of these reactions lasts for more than a few days.
In addition, adverse reactions to the vaccine, perhaps allergic in
nature, have been observed insome people. These could be due to an
egg protein allergy because the egg in which the virus is grown
cannot be completely extracted. These people should be vaccinated
only if their doctorbelieves it necessary and if the vaccine is
given under close observation by a doctor.
WHO SHOULD BE VACCINATED?
People at high risk should be vaccinated yearly against influenza.
In addition, those who provide care to high-risk patients should
be vaccinated.
If you are not in a high-risk group, you may want to be vaccinated
to avoid the flu and its complications.
CAN YOU HAVE A RECURRENCE OF INFLUENZA?
A person can have influenza more than once. Here's why: The virus
that causes influenza may belong to one of three different
influenza virus families, A, B or C. Influenza A and influenza B
are the major families.
Within each influenza virus family are many viral strains, like so
many brothers and sisters. Both A and B have strains that cause
illnesses of varying severity. But the influenza A family has more
virulent strains than the B family.
If you have influenza, your body responds by developing antibodies.
The following year, a new family member or a member of another
family may appear. Your antibodies are less effective or ineffective
against this unfamiliar strain. If you are exposed to it, you may
come down with influenza again.
HOW ARE INFLUENZA AND COMPLICATIONS TREATED?
For uncomplicated influenza, your doctor will probably tell you to
stay in bed at home as long as the sickness is severe, and perhaps
for about two days after the fever is gone. Common medications,
such as acetaminophen, are used to treat fever and aches and pains.
Two antiviral drugs called amantadine and rimantadine have to be
used for treating someone who develops influenza A, particularly
if given as soon as possible after the onset of influenza. These
drugs also can be used as a preventive measure, but for prevention
it must be taken daily as long as influenza cases continue to occur
in a community.
Your doctor would have to decide whether to use an antiviral drug
either for prevention or treatment. If it is used for treating an
early case of influenza, it may shorten this illness and reduce
the severity. Antiviral drugs work only against influenza A viruses
and should be used only if influenza A is suspected.
In addition, two news drugs, Zanamivir and Oseltamivir, one inhaled
and one in pill form have been shown to reduce flu symptoms if
taken at the onset of the flu. These newer drugs can be used to
treat strains from both the Influenza A & B families. Oseltamivir
has also been approved for preventative use in those 13 years and
older.
Some antiviral drugs cause side effects such as difficulty sleeping,
tremulousness, depression and gastro-intestinal upset; these are
usually mild and often go away even when the medicine is continued.
One drug may cause worsening of asthma.
If you should develop a bacterial complication, however, your
doctor can give you an antibiotic.
WHY IN SOME YEARS DO MORE PEOPLE GET INFLUENZA THAN IN OTHERS?
Every 10 years of so, an influenza virus strain appears that is
dramatically different from the other members of its family. When
this major change occurs a worldwide epidemic, called a pandemic,
almost inevitably follows. Few people have antibodies that are
effective against the new virus.
One such virus caused the 1918 influenza epidemic that swept the
world and left in its wake more than 20 million dead.
Mass vaccination programs continue today to protect people from
the illness and death that can be caused by influenza.
KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER
If you are a high risk person, get your yearly influenza shot. It
is covered by Medicare and some other health plans.
At the first sign of influenza symptoms, see your doctor.
Learn how to treat influenza in case it occurs despite your
vaccination.
Discuss this with your doctor.
Hanta virus
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is the name given to an
infectious lung disease that first appeared as a "mystery" illness
in the Southwest United States in the spring of 1993; by the end
of the year 53 cases had been reported from 14 states. Although
federal health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and state health officials have learned a great deal
about the disease since the outbreak in 1993, there are still many
questions remaining.
„h Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is caused by infection with a
specific virus from a group of viruses called hantavirus.
Hantaviruses have been recognized by experts since 1978. Most other
hantaviruses are found in Asia and cause kidney disorders.
„h There are four hantaviruses (Sin Nombre, Black Creek Canal, New York
and Bayou) that cause the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the
United States, each of which are carried by specific types of mice.
Humans contract the infection by inhaling airborne excreta, by
contact with rodent saliva during a bite, by direct contact of
rodent excreta with broken skin, and possibly through contaminated
food or water. The infected animals do not themselves become ill.
CDC has indicated that these mice are found in all parts of the
United States.
„h As of April 2000, a total of 249 cases of hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome has been confirmed, with cases occurring chiefly in the
West and Southwest. HPS occurs most often during the spring and
summer, and 75% of cases are traced to inhabitants of rural areas.
„h Most cases have occurred among males (60 percent); the average age
is 37 years.
„h HPS can strike anyone. However, whites and American Indians account
for 75 percent and 23 percent of all cases, rvespectively.
„h The infection is not thought to be transmissible from one person
to another.
„h Hantavirus infection triggers an illness at first similar to a
severe cold or influenza, accompanied by fever and muscle aches.
It quickly progresses to severe respiratory difficulties and to
adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which may be rapidly
fatal.
„h ARDS is a condition in which the lungs' ability to transfer oxygen
to the blood is severely impaired, compromising the function of
all the body's organs. It may be caused by severe trauma or massive
infection, as is the case with HPS. Currently, mechanical
ventilation (assisted respiration) is the main treatment for ARDS.
Due to the increased awareness of the disorder and improved
treatment modalities, the mortality rate has decreased from 50% in
beginning of the epidemic to 33%.
„h No therapy is established specifically for treating hantavirus
pulmonary syndrome. There has been some experimental use of an
antiviral drug, ribavirin, which has been used against related
viruses in other parts of the world.
„h CDC has issued guidelines for rodent extermination and avoidance
for residents, workers, campers and hikers in affected areas.
„h Although hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has been publicized as an
emerging infectious disease, it is in fact only a newly identified
disease and has been causing illness and death for years.
WHAT IS PNEUMONIA?
Pneumonia is a serious infection or inflammation of your lungs.
The air sacs in the lungs fill with pus and other liquid. Oxygen
has trouble reaching your blood. If there is too little oxygen in
your blood, your body cells can't work properly. Because of this
and spreading infection through the body pneumonia can cause death.
Until 1936, pneumonia was the No.1 cause of death in the U.S. Since
then, the use of antibiotics brought it under control. In 2000,
pneumonia and influenza combined ranked as the seventh leading
cause of death.
Pneumonia affects your lungs in two ways. Lobar pneumonia affects
section (lobe) of a lung. Bronchial pneumonia (or bronchopneumonia)
affects patches throughout both lungs.
CAUSES OF PNEUMONIA
Pneumonia is not a single disease. It can have over 30 different
causes. There are five main causes of pneumonia:
¡E Bacteria
¡E Viruses
¡E Mycoplasmas
¡E Other infectious agents, such as fungi - including pneumocystis
¡E Various chemicals
BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA
Bacterial pneumonia can attack anyone from infants through the
very old. Alcoholics, the debilitated, post-operative patients,
people with respiratory diseases or viral infections and people
who have weakened immune systems are at greater risk.
Pneumonia bacteria are present in some healthy throats. When body
defenses are weakened in some way, by illness, old age,
malnutrition, general debility or impaired immunity, the bacteria
can multiply and cause serious damage. Usually, when a person's
resistance is lowered, bacteria work their way into the lungs and
inflame the air sacs.
The tissue of part of a lobe of the lung, an entire lobe, or even
most of the lung's five lobes becomes completely filled with liquid
(this is called "consolidation"). The infection quickly spreads
through the bloodstream and the whole body is invaded.
The streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial
pneumonia. It is one form of pneumonia for which a vaccine is
available.
Symptoms: The onset of bacterial pneumonia can vary from gradual
to sudden. In the most severe cases, the patient may experience
shaking chills, chattering teeth, severe chest pain, and a cough
that produces rust-colored or greenish mucus.
A person's temperature may rise as high as 105 degrees F. The
patient sweats profusely, and breathing and pulse rate increase
rapidly. Lips and nailbeds may have a bluish color due to lack of
oxygen in the blood. A patient's mental state may be confused or
delirious.
VIRAL PNEUMONIA
Half of all pneumonias are believed to be caused by viruses.
More and more viruses are being identified as the cause of
respiratory infection, and though most attack the upper respiratory
tract, some produce pneumonia, especially in children. Most of
these pneumonias are not serious and last a short time.
Infection with the influenza virus may be severe and occasionally
fatal. The virus invades the lungs and multiplies, but there are
almost no physical signs of lung tissue becoming filled with fluid.
It finds many of its victims among those who have pre-existing
heart or lung disease or are pregnant.
Symptoms: The initial symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as
influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and
weakness. Within 12 to 36 hours, there is increasing breathlessness;
the cough becomes worse and produces a small amount of mucus. There
is a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.
In extreme cases, the patient has a desperate need for air and
extreme breathlessness. Viral pneumonias may be complicated by an
invasion of bacteria, with all the typical symptoms of bacterial
pneumonia.
MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIA
Because of its somewhat different symptoms and physical signs, and
because the course of the illness differed from classical
pneumococcal pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia was once believed to
be caused by one or more undiscovered viruses and was called
"primary atypical pneumonia."
Identified during World War II, mycoplasmas are the smallest
free-living agents of disease in humankind, unclassified as to
whether bacteria or viruses, but having characteristics of both.
They generally cause a mild and widespread pneumonia. They affect
all age groups, occurring most frequently in older children and
young adults. The death rate is low, even in untreated cases.
Symptoms: The most prominent symptom of mycoplasma pneumonia is
a cough that tends to come in violent attacks, but produces only
sparse whitish mucus. Chills and fever are early symptoms, and
some patients experience nausea or vomiting. Patients may
experience profound weakness which lasts for a long time.
OTHER KINDS OF PNEUMONIA
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is caused by an organism
believed to be a fungus. PCP is the first sign of illness in many
persons with AIDS.
PCP can be successfully treated in many cases. It may recur a few
months later, but treatment can help to prevent or delay its
recurrence.
Other less common pneumonias may be quite serious and are occurring
more often. Various special pneumonias are caused by the inhalation
of food, liquid, gases or dust, and by fungi. Foreign bodies or a
bronchial obstruction such as a tumor may promote the occurrence
of pneumonia, although they are not causes of pneumonia.
Rickettsia (also considered an organism somewhere between viruses
and bacteria) cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, typhus
and psittacosis, diseases that may have mild or severe effects on
the lungs. Tuberculosis pneumonia is a very serious lung infection
and extremely dangerous unless treated early.
TREATING PNEUMONIA
If you develop pneumonia, your chances of a fast recovery are
greatest under certain conditions: if you're young, if your
pneumonia is caught early, if your defenses against disease are
working well, if the infection hasn't spread, and if you're not
suffering from other illnesses.
In the young and healthy, early treatment with antibiotics can
cure bacterial pneumonia, speed recovery from mycoplasma pneumonia,
and a certain percentage of rickettsia cases. There is not yet a
general treatment for viral pneumonia, although antiviral drugs
are used for certain kinds. Most people can be treated at home.
The drugs used to fight pneumonia are determined by the germ
causing the pneumonia and the judgment of the doctor. After a
patient's temperature returns to normal, medication must be
continued according to the doctor's instructions, otherwise the
pneumonia may recur. Relapses can be far more serious than the
first attack.
Besides antibiotics, patients are given supportive treatment:
proper diet and oxygen to increase oxygen in the blood when needed.
In some patients, medication to ease chest pain and to provide
relief from violent cough may be necessary.
The vigorous young person may lead a normal life within a week of
recovery from pneumonia. For the middle-aged, however, weeks may
elapse before they regain their accustomed strength, vigor, and
feeling of well- being. A person recovering from mycoplasma
pneumonia may be weak for an extended period of time.
In general, a person should not be discouraged from returning to
work or carrying out usual activities but must be warned to expect
some difficulties. Adequate rest is important to maintain progress
toward full recovery and to avoid relapse. Remember, don't rush
recovery!
PREVENTING PNEUMONIA IS POSSIBLE
Because pneumonia is a common complication of influenza (flu),
getting a flu shot every fall is good pneumonia prevention.
A vaccine is also available to help fight pneumococcal pneumonia,
one type of bacterial pneumonia. Your doctor can help you decide
if you, or a member of your family, needs the vaccine against
pneumococcal pneumonia. It is usually given only to people at high
risk of getting the disease and its life-threatening complications.
The greatest risk of pneumococcal pneumonia is usually among people
who:
¡E Have chronic illnesses such as lung disease, heart disease,
kidney disorders, sickle cell anemia, or diabetes.
¡E Are recovering from severe illness
¡E Are in nursing homes or other chronic care facilities
¡E Are age 65 or older
If you are at risk, ask your doctor for the vaccine.
The vaccine is generally given only once. Ask your doctor about
any revaccination recommendations. The vaccine is not recommended
for pregnant women or children under age two.
Since pneumonia often follows ordinary respiratory infections, the
most important preventive measure is to be alert to any symptoms of
respiratory trouble that linger more than a few days.Good health
habits, proper diet and hygiene, rest, regular exercise, etc.,
increase resistance to all respiratory illnesses. They also help
promote fast recovery when illness does occur.
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF PNEUMONIA
Call your doctor immediately. Even with the many effective
antibiotics, early diagnosis and treatment are important.
Follow your doctor's advice. In serious cases, your doctor may
advise a hospital stay. Or recovery at home may be possible.
Continue to take the medicine your doctor prescribes until told
you may stop. This will help prevent recurrence of pneumonia and
relapse.
Remember, even though pneumonia can be treated, it is an extremely
serious illness. Don't wait, get treatment early.
April 25, 2003
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS has been identified as
a viral illness that is characterized by fever higher than 100.4
degrees Fahrenheit and symptoms such as shortness of breath,
headache, coughing, muscle pain, and malaise according to the
World Health Organization. In 10-20% of cases, the respiratory
illness progresses to severe respiratory difficulty. Death has
occurred in 5.8% of all probable and suspected cases. Researchers
in many countries are currently working to create fast and reliable
tests to detect SARS; a syndrome that comes from a group of viruses
known as coronaviruses. Several groups have already identified the
genome of the virus and their findings show that the virus seems to
be different in different parts of the world. This may explain the
apparent variations in lethality -- for example, SARS appears to be
less lethal in the U.S. As with other respiratory illnesses, the
American Lung Association highly recommends that a doctor is
consulted for proper diagnosis and treatment if these symptoms
are evident.
According to the World Health Organization website, a cumulative
total of 4649 cases, with 274 deaths, have been reported from 26
countries. The United States has 247 suspect or probable cases
with the most in California (49) and New York (28). There are 140
total cases in Canada. For suspected cases in your state, click
here: http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/sars.htm
Southeast Asia has been the hardest hit. A total of 2601 cases
have been diagnosed, over half of the worldwide total.
SARS is contagious and can be transmitted by close contact with an
infectious individual or direct contact with contaminated objects.
Most of SARS cases have been in individuals who have traveled to
parts of the world affected by SARS.
Therefore, the World Health Organization has taken the unusual
step of issuing an emergency travel advisory alerting all airlines
to be on the lookout for cases of suspected pneumonia among people
traveling from Southeast Asia and Toronto, Canada. They are
recommending that people cancel any non-essential travel to the area.
Health agencies throughout the country have alerted hospitals and
physicians of the possibility of such an occurrence and have
provided advice on precautions to be taken when encountering a
suspected case. Healthcare workers are advised to avoid respiratory
contact and contact with secretions of suspected cases.
Home
Stucture of Respiratory System
Function of Respiratory System
Power point presentation
Written report
Graph of structures and functions
