The Bug & The Bad
Unlike Influenza B, Influenza A has specific animal reservoirs that allow for major genetic reassortment. What are these two main animal reservoirs?
Birds and Pigs.
Does Viral Pneumonia typically show lobar consolidation or interstitial infiltrates on a Chest X-Ray?
Interstitial infiltrates.
What is the "Golden Window" (in hours) for administering Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for it to be effective?
Within 48 hours of symptom onset.
How long does it take for the flu shot to actually become effective in your body?
2 weeks.
Where are the Viscerosomatic reflex levels for the lungs located on the spine?
T2–T7.
What specific type of genetic change (mutation) is responsible for annual epidemics and is the reason we need a new vaccine every year?
Antigenic Drift.
Which test is the "Gold Standard" for diagnosing Influenza because it is highly sensitive and detects viral genetic material?
RT-PCR.
What is the specific Mechanism of Action of Oseltamivir? (What does it stop the virus from doing?)
It is a Neuraminidase Inhibitor; it prevents the virus from exiting/releasing from the host cell.
Which version of the vaccine is a Live Attenuated virus, and how is it administered?
The Intranasal Spray (LAIV).
Where would you press on the chest to find the Anterior Chapman's points for the lungs?
3rd and 4th Intercostal spaces (near the sternum).
Which viral protein (found only in Influenza A) acts as an ion channel to help the virus uncoat and is the target of the older drug Amantadine?
M2 protein.
A patient starts to recover from the flu, but on Day 6 spikes a high fever and coughs up green sputum. What has likely happened?
Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia (Superinfection).
Levofloxacin is ideal for "Walking Pneumonia" because it kills Atypical bacteria. Why are these specific bacteria naturally resistant to drugs like Penicillin?
Because Atypical bacteria lack a cell wall
Name two absolute contraindications for the Live (Intranasal) vaccine.
Pregnancy and Immunocompromised status.
When we perform Rib Raising on a pneumonia patient, which part of the autonomic nervous system are we inhibiting?
Sympathetic Nervous System.
To enter a host cell, the Influenza virus Hemagglutinin binds to what specific receptor on the respiratory epithelium?
Sialic Acid receptor.
Which lab biomarker is typically elevated in bacterial pneumonia but remains low in pure viral pneumonia?
Procalcitonin.
Levofloxacin works by inhibiting bacterial DNA replication. Specifically, which two enzymes does it block?
DNA Gyrase (Topoisomerase II) and Topoisomerase IV.
According to CDC post-identification guidelines, a healthcare worker diagnosed with the flu cannot return to patient care duties until they have been fever-free for at least this many hours without using fever-reducing meds.
24 Hours.
We know the Sympathetics come from T2-T7. Which Cranial Nerve provides Parasympathetic drive to the lungs
The Vagus Nerve (CN X)
Which virulence factor in Influenza A is a "killer" protein that destroys macrophages and predisposes patients to secondary bacterial infections?
PB1-F2 protein.
Name the top three specific bacteria most likely to cause secondary pneumonia.
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Staphylococcus aureus
H. influenzae.
Explain "Selection Pressure" to a patient: Why does stopping antibiotics early lead to a stronger, more dangerous infection later?
Stopping early kills only the weak bacteria, leaving the resistant ones alive to replicate without competition, creating a fully resistant colony.
Public health surveillance is vital. While adult flu cases are tracked in aggregate, what specific flu-related event is mandatory to report to the CDC?
Pediatric Influenza-associated Mortality.
You are performing Diaphragm MFR. By improving the motion of the diaphragm, you increase the negative intrathoracic pressure gradient, which directly aids the return of lymph into this major vessel.
The Thoracic Duct.