1. Lower Respiratory Infections: Pneumonia & Tuberculosis (TB)

• Pneumonia: Acute lung parenchymal infection where pathogens invade via aspiration, inhalation, or blood. Inflammation increases vascular permeability, causing capillary leakage and alveolar fluid consolidation, impairing gas exchange. Clinical Rule: Initiate empiric antibiotic therapy immediately upon suspicion to reduce mortality; adjust only after culture results. Prevent aspiration pneumonia by elevating the head of the bed to ≥30° and checking the gag reflexes.
• Tuberculosis (TB): Airborne disease caused by M. tuberculosis. LTBI vs. Active TB: Latent TB (LTBI) is asymptomatic, non-infectious, has normal chest x-rays, and requires single-drug therapy (e.g., i ...