Respiratory Diseases
- Upper and Lower segments, but it is all one continuous tract
• Upper Respiratory Diseases
• Lower Respiratory Diseases
,The anatomy of the Respiratory Tract includes many features, which help to rid the
system of particles and potential pathogens
, • A). The Nasal Cavity has a mucociliary lining similar to that of the Lower
Respiratory Tract.
o The inside of the nose is lined with hairs which act to filter larger particles
that are inhaled
o The turbinate bones (“baffle plates”) are covered with mucous which
collect particles not filtered by nasal hairs
o Usually, particles 5-10um in diameter are either trapped by nasal hairs, or
impinged on the nasal mucosal surfaces
• B). The change in the direction of the airway from the sinuses to the pharynx
causes a large number of larger particles to impinge on the back of the throat
o The adenoids and tonsils are lymphoid organs in the Upper Respiratory
Tract that are quite important in developing an immune response to
pathogens
• C). A layer of mucus and ciliated cells cover the lower portion of the Lower
Respiratory Tract
• D). Particles or respiratory pathogens which reach the Lower Respiratory Tract
are first trapped in the mucus layer and are driven upwards by ciliary action (the
ciliary elevator) to the back of the throat
o Purpose: to capture particles and pathogens and move them up and out
• E). There are two main obstacles a bacterium or virus must overcome in order to
initiate an infection in the respiratory tract
o 1). The microorganism must avoid being caught up in the mucus layers of
the Upper Respiratory Tract, being transported to the back of the throat
and eventually swallowed
o 2). If the invader has avoided the physical defense mechanisms of the
Upper Respiratory Tract, and is deposited in the Lower Respiratory Tract
or lung, it must either avoid phagocytosis, or be able to survive and
multiply in phagocytic cells
If it makes it to the LR-tract and isn’t caught by respiratory
obstacles, it must avoid phagocytosis by phagocytes in lungs
• Tb causing organism can be phagocytized, but it doesn't
kill it; it just lives in the phagocytic cell
Upper Respiratory Tract
• Continuous with Lower Respiratory Tract
• Connections to the inner ear (Eustachian tubes) and eyes (lachrymal ducts)
, o Lachrymal ducts move fluid from the eye to the back of the throat
(respiratory tract)
Can sometimes taste eardrops
• Sinuses
o Small spaces that must drain through small tubes to the throat or
respiratory tract.
If these tubes are clogged (infected with pathogens), a sinus
infection occurs (inflammation).
o Sinuses are not meant to cause us infections, they have other functions
Frontal sinus above eyebrows
Ethmoid sinus above eyebrows
Maxillary sinus between eyes
o Warm and humidify incoming air
o Impact resistance
o Temperature buffers
Protect teeth and eyes from temperature flux
• Cold air coming in
o Voice modification
• Lots of nooks and crannies for infection
• Hair, tears, saliva
o Our eyes produce tears so there is constant flushing to eliminate things
that land in the eyes
o All serve to protect us from irritants, organisms, and dust particles
Tonsils, Adenoids and Lymph Nodes
- Upper and Lower segments, but it is all one continuous tract
• Upper Respiratory Diseases
• Lower Respiratory Diseases
,The anatomy of the Respiratory Tract includes many features, which help to rid the
system of particles and potential pathogens
, • A). The Nasal Cavity has a mucociliary lining similar to that of the Lower
Respiratory Tract.
o The inside of the nose is lined with hairs which act to filter larger particles
that are inhaled
o The turbinate bones (“baffle plates”) are covered with mucous which
collect particles not filtered by nasal hairs
o Usually, particles 5-10um in diameter are either trapped by nasal hairs, or
impinged on the nasal mucosal surfaces
• B). The change in the direction of the airway from the sinuses to the pharynx
causes a large number of larger particles to impinge on the back of the throat
o The adenoids and tonsils are lymphoid organs in the Upper Respiratory
Tract that are quite important in developing an immune response to
pathogens
• C). A layer of mucus and ciliated cells cover the lower portion of the Lower
Respiratory Tract
• D). Particles or respiratory pathogens which reach the Lower Respiratory Tract
are first trapped in the mucus layer and are driven upwards by ciliary action (the
ciliary elevator) to the back of the throat
o Purpose: to capture particles and pathogens and move them up and out
• E). There are two main obstacles a bacterium or virus must overcome in order to
initiate an infection in the respiratory tract
o 1). The microorganism must avoid being caught up in the mucus layers of
the Upper Respiratory Tract, being transported to the back of the throat
and eventually swallowed
o 2). If the invader has avoided the physical defense mechanisms of the
Upper Respiratory Tract, and is deposited in the Lower Respiratory Tract
or lung, it must either avoid phagocytosis, or be able to survive and
multiply in phagocytic cells
If it makes it to the LR-tract and isn’t caught by respiratory
obstacles, it must avoid phagocytosis by phagocytes in lungs
• Tb causing organism can be phagocytized, but it doesn't
kill it; it just lives in the phagocytic cell
Upper Respiratory Tract
• Continuous with Lower Respiratory Tract
• Connections to the inner ear (Eustachian tubes) and eyes (lachrymal ducts)
, o Lachrymal ducts move fluid from the eye to the back of the throat
(respiratory tract)
Can sometimes taste eardrops
• Sinuses
o Small spaces that must drain through small tubes to the throat or
respiratory tract.
If these tubes are clogged (infected with pathogens), a sinus
infection occurs (inflammation).
o Sinuses are not meant to cause us infections, they have other functions
Frontal sinus above eyebrows
Ethmoid sinus above eyebrows
Maxillary sinus between eyes
o Warm and humidify incoming air
o Impact resistance
o Temperature buffers
Protect teeth and eyes from temperature flux
• Cold air coming in
o Voice modification
• Lots of nooks and crannies for infection
• Hair, tears, saliva
o Our eyes produce tears so there is constant flushing to eliminate things
that land in the eyes
o All serve to protect us from irritants, organisms, and dust particles
Tonsils, Adenoids and Lymph Nodes
