Many systemic diseases begin in the upper respiratory tract, including measles, mumps, and smallpox. These may have few, if any, respiratory tract symptoms. Symptomatic infections that are confined to the upper respiratory tract and are termed upper respiratory infections (URI's) include rhinitis (the common cold), pharyngitis, epiglottitis, and bronchitis. Pharyngitis or a sore throat is one of the most common infectious diseases that presents to the primary care physician. Many, many viruses can cause a sore throat but there are only three bacteria that do so fairly frequently. Chapter 5, pp 161 Ð 168, of Infectious Diseases in 30 Days by F.S. Southwick (McGraw-Hill, 2003) introduces you to some basic concepts about pharyngitis, epiglottitis and also otitis media. Otitis media is another very common childhood infection that originates in the throat. After reading this, or the Introduction to respiratory tract infections in any microbiology text, you should be able to answer the following questions.
Question 1 - Single Best Answer
What is the most common cause of pharyngitis?
A) Epstein Barr virus
B) Streptococcus pyogenes
C) Streptococcus pneumoniae
D) Candida albicans
E) none of the above
Question 2 - Single Best Answer
All cases of pharyngitis should be treated with antibiotics?
A) True
B) False
Question 3 - Single Best Answer
A bacterial etiology of sore throat can be determined clinically?
A) True
B) False
Question 4 - Single Best Answer
The bacterial causes of sore throat include
A) Streptococcus pyogenes and Treponema pallidum
B) Neisseria gonorrhoea and Streptococcus pneumoniae
C) Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Streptococcus pyogenes
D) Treponema pallidum and Bordetella pertussis
E) Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Bordetella pertussis
Question 5 - Single Best Answer
Pharyngitis caused by ____________________in a child is considered indicative of child sexual abuse?
A) Streptococcus pyogenes
B) Streptococcus pneumonia
C) Corynebacterium diphtheria
D) Neisseria gonnorheae
E) none of the above
Question 6 - Single Best Answer
How much time does it take to determine if a sore throat is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes?
A) 10 minutes
B) 4 hours
C) overnight
D) two weeks
Question 7 - Single Best Answer
What does a grayish pseudomembrane in the throat suggest?
A) Clostridium difficile
B) Streptococcus pyogenes
C) Streptococcus pneumonia No, (sigh)
D) Corynebacterium diphtheria
E) Neisseria gonorrhoea
Question 8 - Single Best Answer
The most common cause of epiglottitis is_____________________?
A) Neisseria gonorrhoea
B) Epstein-Barr virus
C) Haemophilus influenzae
D) Streptococcus pyogenes
E) Streptococcus pneumoniae
Question 9 - Single Best Answer
What do you think is the most important virulence factor for bacteria that cause pharyngitis, epiglottitis, or bronchitis?
A) membrane ruffling to induce uptake by cells
B) adhesins
C) toxins
D) ability to kill non-specific phagocytes