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Q1: Definition and differentiation (2 min)
Define acute bronchitis. How do you distinguish it at the bedside from community-acquired pneumonia, an exacerbation of COPD, and pertussis? What is the role (if any) of a chest X-ray in the uncomplicated case?
Q2: Aetiology and pathophysiology (3 min)
What are the common causative organisms? Walk me through the pathophysiology from viral inoculation of the bronchial epithelium to the persistent cough — name the cytokines involved. Why does the cough sometimes last up to eight weeks? Why are beta-lactam antibiotics ineffective against Mycoplasma pneumoniae?
Q3: Management — the antibiotic decision (3 min)
A 30-year-old smoker demands antibiotics for green sputum and a 5-day cough, normal vitals, clear chest. What do you do, and what evidence do you cite? What symptomatic treatments (with doses) do you offer? When would you give a delayed prescription?
Q4: Pertussis (2 min)
How does pertussis present in an adult? How do you confirm the diagnosis, and what is the treatment — including in a pregnant woman? What public-health actions follow? How is neonatal pertussis prevented?
Q5: Pitfalls and red flags (2 min)
Give me three red flags that would make you reconsider the diagnosis of simple bronchitis. What is the Anthonisen criterion for antibiotics in a COPD exacerbation? Which cough medicines are contraindicated in infants and young children, and why?