Everyone Healthy Library
Bacterial Tracheitis
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
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Connected health information
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Condition overview
Attributes
Ageis Infant
Linked signs and symptoms
9Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
0No linked drugs are listed yet.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
2Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Medical therapy
1Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
7These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
Biological markers/agents
8This visual map shows biological markers/agents reported as increased or decreased with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
4- Alpha-1 Antintrypsin (AAT)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 90–215 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsAlpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Concentration
- Alpha-1-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.1–0.3 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- Alpha-2-Globulin (Blood, Serum)Reference range exampleAll: 0.6–1 gm/dLLinked diagnostic testsProtein Electrophoresis (Blood, Serum Protein)
- White Blood Cell (WBC)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y): 4.5–10.5 million/mL; Adult ( > 16y): 3.2–10 million/mLLinked diagnostic testsWhite Blood Cell (WBC) Count
Often decreased
4- Forced Expiratory Flow Between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75)Reference range exampleAll: 60–100 %Linked diagnostic testsSpirometry
- Glucose (Blood)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 3–6.1 mmol/L; Adult ( > 16y): 0–6.1 mmol/LLinked diagnostic testsfasting Blood Glucose Test, Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT
- Glucose (Cerebrospinal Fluid)Reference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 65–85 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y): 50–72 mg/dLLinked diagnostic testsCerebrospinal Fluid Glucose Concentration
- PlateletsReference range exampleChild (0 - 16y): 150–450 109/L; Adult ( > 16y): 135–380 109/LLinked diagnostic testsPlatelet Count
Introduction / full article
Bacterial Tracheitis
Tracheitis or Bacterial tracheitis
Bacterial tracheitis is an infection of the trachea by bacteria. It is relatively uncommon with the children typically affected because of the size and shape of their airway. [1]
Epidemiology
Roughly, the incidence is 0.1 cases per 100,000 children. Males are predominantly affected in most studies. Though the disease may come about in any paediatric age, 3 weeks to 16 years is the estimated range of occurrence with 4 years old as the mean age. [2]
Causes
Staphylococcus aureus and group A β-haemolytic streptococci are the usual etiologic agent. [1] Bacterial tracheitis usually occurs following a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. [3] Mucosal damage and immune mechanism impairment are said to predispose the patient to bacterial invasion. [2] Bacterial tracheitis may result to the development of potentially obstructing mucopurulent exudates which could be fatal. [4]
The following symptoms are usually noted: high fever, deep or bark like cough, difficulty of breathing with high-pitched sound. [3] Physical findings may reveal inspiratory stridor, odynophagia, dysphonia and signs of respiratory distress such as nasal flaring, cyanosis and retractions. Hence, a classic picture of a patient with bacterial tracheitis is a febrile child in respiratory distress with stridor, faster rate of breathing than usual, frequent and painless cough and whose WBC count is elevated. [2] A child diagnosed with viral croup who is non-responsive to therapy should be assessed for bacterial tracheitis. [4]
Diagnosis
After a thorough physical assessment, diagnosis can be confirmed by direct visualization of the trachea via laryngobronchoscopy. [4] Lateral x-ray may also be indicated to find irregularities in the anatomic structure of the trachea. [1] Bacterial and blood culture may also be studied. [2]
Treatment
Upon diagnosis, the patient should be started on intravenous antimicrobial agents with wide coverage. Empirical antibiotics should be aimed at the usual pathogens of bacterial tracheitis such as S.aureus, S. pneumoniaeand H. influenza. [4] Usual drugs prescribed are third-generation cephalosporinagent like ceftriaxone combined with penicillinase-resistant penicillin like nafcillin. Ensuring that the patient has adequate airway is of chief importance hence intubation might be needed. If there is significant tracheal injury, surgery might be indicated however this is rare. [2] Usual complication is bronchopneumonia but most patients adequately treated undergo complete recovery. [1]
References:
1.http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/respiratory_disorders_in_neonates_infants_and_young_children/bacterial_tracheitis.html
2. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/961647-overview#a0199
3. http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/000988.htm
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2719512/