Respiratory System

Disease and Causes Manifestations Treatment Prevention

Bacteria Common There is no vaccine to
1. Chlamydial Pneumonias symptoms include: Antibiotics are used to treat C. prevent Chlamydia
- one cause of  Runny or pneumoniae infections, pneumoniae infection,
community-acquired stuffy nose. although most people will but there are steps you
pneumonia or lung  Fatigue recover on their own without can take to help
infections developed (feeling medicine. protect yourself.
outside of a hospital tired)
CAUSE  Low-grade The two most commonly Hygiene
Chlamydia pneumoniae - an fever. prescribed antibiotics for To keep from getting
obligate intracellular  Hoarseness chlamydia are: or spreading the
bacterium that infects or loss of  azithromycin bacteria, wash your
humans and is a major voice.  doxycycline hands often. This is
cause of pneumonia. It was  Sore throat. especially important
known as the Taiwan acute  Slowly after coughing or
respiratory agent (TWAR) worsening sneezing.
from the names of the two cough that To practice good
original isolates – Taiwan can last for hygiene, you should:
(TW-183) and an acute weeks or
respiratory isolate months.  Cover your
designated AR-39. C.  Headache mouth and
pneumoniae can also cause nose with a
lower respiratory tract It can take 3 to 4 tissue when
infections like bronchitis weeks for you cough or
and lung infections like symptoms to appear sneeze.
pneumonia. Some reports after someone has  Put your used
say that people with been exposed to the tissue in the
pneumonia caused by C. bacteria. Symptoms waste basket.
pneumoniae are more likely can also continue  Cough or
to have laryngitis compared for several weeks sneeze into
to people with other types after they start. your upper
of bacterial pneumonia. sleeve or
elbow, not
your hands, if
you don’t have
a tissue.
 Wash your
hands often
with soap and
water for at
least 20
seconds.
 Use an
alcohol-based
 hand rub if
soap and water
are not
available.

2. Psittacosis – also known In People People diagnosed with While there is no

as parrot fever is a rare
infection caused by
Chlamydia psittaci, a
specific type of bacteria.
The infection is also
known as parrot disease
and psittacosis.
CAUSE
Chlamydia Psittaci
- type of bacteria that often
infects birds. Less
commonly, these bacteria
can infect people. When the
droppings and secretions
dry, small dust particles
(including the bacteria) can
get into the air. The most
common way someone gets
infected is by breathing in
the dust from these dried
secretions. Less commonly,
birds infect people through
bites and beak-to-mouth
contact.
In general, psittacosis usually take vaccine to prevent
psittacosis causes antibiotics to treat the psittacosis, there are
mild illness. infection. Most people things you can do to
improve quickly if they start protect yourself and
The most common antibiotics soon after they first others. Buy pet birds
symptoms include: get sick. only from a well-
known pet store. If
 Fever and The two most commonly you own pet birds or
chills prescribed antibiotics are: poultry, follow good
 Headache  Tetracycline precautions when
 Muscle  doxycycline handling and cleaning
aches birds and cages
 Dry cough
Psittacosis can also
cause pneumonia, a
lung infection,
which may require
care in a hospital.
Rarely, psittacosis
can result in death.
In Birds
The signs of C.
psittaci infection in
birds are non-
specific and
include:

 Poor
appetite
 Inflamed
eyes
 Breathing
difficulty
 Diarrhea

When birds have

symptoms caused
by C. psittaci
 infection,
veterinarians call
the disease avian
chlamydiosis.
3. Diphtheria - serious The bacteria most Diphtheria treatment today  Vaccination
infection caused by commonly infect involves:  Antibiotics
strains of bacteria called the respiratory
Corynebacterium system, which  Using diphtheria
diphtheriae that make a includes parts of the antitoxin to stop the
toxin (poison). It is the body involved in toxin made by the
toxin that can cause breathing. When the bacteria from damaging
people to get very sick. bacteria get into and the body. This
attach to the lining treatment is very
of the respiratory important for
system, it can respiratory diphtheria
CAUSE cause: infections, but it is
rarely used for
Corynebacterium diphtheria -  Weakness diphtheria skin
the pathogenic bacterium that  Sore throat infections.
causes diphtheria. It is also  Mild fever  Using antibiotics to kill
known as the Klebs-Löffler  Swollen and get rid of the
bacillus, because it was glands in the bacteria. This is
discovered in 1884 by German neck important for both
bacteriologists Edwin Klebs The bacteria make a diphtheria infections in
(1834–1912) and Friedrich toxin (poison) that the respiratory system
Löffler (1852–1915). kills healthy tissues and on the skin. The
in the respiratory recommended
system. Within two antibiotics for
to three days, the respiratory or
dead tissue forms a cutaneous diphtheria is
thick, gray coating either erythromycin or
that can build up in penicillin
the throat or nose.
Medical experts call
this thick, gray
coating a
“pseudomembrane.”
It can cover tissues
in the nose, tonsils,
voice box, and
throat, making it
very hard to breathe
and swallow.

If the toxin gets into

the blood stream, it
 can cause heart,
nerve, and kidney
damage.
4. Bacterial Rhinosinusitis The symptoms Treatments can include:
- an infection of both may include:
your nasal cavity and  Antibiotics to kill the
sinuses. It is caused by  Face pain or infecting bacteria :
bacteria. The nasal pressure Amoxicillin
cavity is the large air- that’s worse -is considered the first-line
filled space behind your when antibiotic for most patients
nose leaning with acute bacterial
forward rhinosinusitis.
CAUSE  Postnasal Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxa
drip zole and macrolide antibiotics
The most common causes of  Nasal -are reasonable alternatives to
bacterial rhinosinusitis are congestion amoxicillin for treating acute
similar to those for AOM,  Pain in your bacterial rhinosinusitis in
including S. pneumoniae, H. upper jaw patients who are allergic to
influenzae, and M. catarrhalis.  Toothache penicillin.
in your  Pain medicines
upper jaw  Rinsing the nasal
 Yellow or passages with saline to
greenish make them feel better
discharge
from your
nose
 Fever
 Cough
 Ear pressure
or fullness
 Headache
 Decreased
smell
5. Bacterial Pneumonia - Typical symptoms Treatment for bacterial One of the best ways
general term for of bacterial pneumonia includes to prevent bacterial
infections of the lungs pneumonia antibiotics, which target the pneumonia is by
that lead to include: specific type of bacterium preserving the
inflammation and causing the infection. A doctor strength of the
accumulation of fluids  chest pain might also prescribe immune system.
and white blood cells in  shortness of medications to ease breathing. Eating healthy foods,
the alveoli. Bacterial breath getting enough rest,
pneumonia is a  a cough that Additional medications may and frequent hand-
prevalent, potentially may include over-the-counter washing are good
serious infection. produce (OTC) drugs to ease aches and starting points.
yellow or pains, as well as reducing
green mucus fever. Since bacterial
  fever pneumonia can
CAUSE  tiredness Home care will often include develop as a
 chills rest and drinking plenty of complication of the
Streptococcus pneumoniae - or fluids unless a doctor instructs flu, getting an annual
pneumococcus, is a Gram- Symptoms of otherwise. Be sure to finish a flu shot may prevent
positive, spherical bacteria, bacterial pneumonia course of antibiotic therapy pneumonia.
alpha-hemolytic (under aerobic tend to be similar in according to the doctor’s
conditions) or beta-hemolytic both children and prescription, even if symptoms Two different
(under anaerobic conditions), adults. According to have improved. pneumococcal
facultative anaerobic member the American vaccines are also
of the genus Streptococcus. Academy of Some people may require available for reducing
They are usually found in pairs Pediatrics, toddlers hospitalization for a severe a person’s risk of
(diplococci) and do not form and infants may cry case of bacterial pneumonia, developing bacterial
spores and are non motile. more than usual, especially for a person who pneumonia due to S.
have reduced needs supplemental oxygen, is pneumoniae
energy, and appear experiencing dehydration, or bacterium, the most
pale. requires breathing assistance common cause of
with a mechanical ventilator. bacterial pneumonia.
These vaccines are the
People who develop PCV13 and PPSV23,
complications, like sepsis, may which protect against
also require additional 13 and 23 strains of
treatments that involve the pneumococcal
admission into a hospital. bacterium
respectively.
Fungi C. neoformans People who have C. One approach to
usually infects the neoformans infection need to prevent cryptococcal
1. cryptococcosis - usually lungs or the central take prescription antifungal meningitis is called
affects the lungs or the nervous system (the medication for at least 6 “targeted screening.”
central nervous system brain and spinal months, often longer. The type Research suggests that
(the brain and spinal cord), but it can also of treatment usually depends C. neoformans is able
cord), but it can also affect other parts of on the severity of the infection to live in the body
affect other parts of the the body. The and the parts of the body that undetected, especially
body. Brain infections symptoms of the are affected. when a person’s
due to the fungus infection depend on immune system is
Cryptococcus are called the parts of the For people who have weaker than normal.
cryptococcal meningitis. body that are asymptomatic infections (e.g., In a targeted screening
affected. diagnosed via targeted program, a simple
CAUSE screening) or mild-to-moderate blood test is used to
In the lungs pulmonary infections, the detect cryptococcal
Cryptococcus neoformans - The symptoms are treatment is usually antigen (an indicator
fungus that lives in the often similar to fluconazole. of cryptococcal
environment throughout the those of many other For people who have severe infection) in HIV-
world. People can become illnesses, and can lung infections or infections in infected patients
infected with C. neoformans include: the central nervous system before they begin
after breathing in the (brain and spinal cord), the taking antiretroviral
  Cough recommended initial treatment treatment (ART). A
microscopic fungus, although  Shortness of is amphotericin B in patient who tests
most people who are exposed to breath combination with flucytosine. positive for
the fungus never get sick from  Chest pain After that, patients usually cryptococcal antigen
it.  Fever need to take fluconazole for an can take fluconazole,
extended time to clear the an antifungal
In the brain infection. medication, to fight
(cryptococcal off the silent fungal
meningitis) infection and prevent
Cryptococcal it from developing
meningitis is an into life-threatening
infection caused by meningitis.
the fungus
Cryptococcus after
it spreads from the
lungs to the brain.
The symptoms of
cryptococcal
meningitis include:

 Headache
 Fever
 Neck pain
 Nausea and
vomiting
 Sensitivity
to light
 Confusion
or changes
in behavior