Acute pneumonia is a potentially life-threatening illness requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. There are two to three million cases reported annually in the US, causing 10 million physician visits, 500,000 hospitalizations and 45,000 deaths. Antibiotic resistance of some of the more common pathogens causing pneumonia is an increasing problem. The world was shocked when a relatively young Jim Henson of the Muppets fame died of a fulminating pneumonia.
Chapter 4, pp 108 Ð 118, of Infectious Diseases in 30 Days by F.S. Southwick (McGraw-Hill, 2003) introduces you to some basic concepts about pneumonia. After reading this you should be able to answer the following questions.
Question 1 - Single Best Answer
Which of the following is NOT a predisposing factor for pneumonia?
A) smoking and alcohol and drug use
B) a viral upper respiratory infection
C) exposure to parrots
D) exposure to damp, chilly weather
E) stroke
F) poor oral hygiene
G) AIDS
H) sickle-cell disease
Question 2 - Single Best Answer
Which of the following is the FIRST line of defense against pneumonia?
A) alveolar macrophages
B) serum IgG
C) ciliated cells in the tracheobronchial tree
Question 3 - Single Best Answer
True or false? Pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae causes no permanent tissue destruction, whereas pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus does.
A) true
B) false
Question 4 - Single Best Answer
True or false? Some pneumonias are classified as ÒwalkingÓ pneumonia because the disease spreads throughout the body at a leisurely (walking) pace.
A) true
B) false
Question 5 - Single Best Answer
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be helpful in diagnosing the CAUSE of pneumonia?
A) color of the sputum
B) chills or rigors
C) pulmonary auscultation
D) chest x-ray
Question 6 - Single Best Answer
Fill in the blank? If you are considering pneumonia in your differential diagnosis what other test should always be done?
A) blood culture
B) urine culture
C) chest x-ray
D) sputum culture
Question 7 - Single Best Answer
An adequate sputum sample for diagnosis of pneumonia should have which of the following characteristics
A) a mixed bacterial flora
B) many squamous epithelial cells (more than 25 per low power field)
C) PMNÕs (more than 25 per low power field)
D) it should be bloody