Laryngitis
Basics
Basics
Basics
Description
Description
- Inflammation of the mucosa of the larynx
- The most common cause is viral upper respiratory infection
- Also can be caused by phonotrauma (vocal abuse/misuse)
- Coughing/throat clearing
- Excessive speaking during a URI
- Screaming or yelling
- Excessive talking
- Talking in noisy environments
- Smoking
- Peaks parallel epidemics of individual viruses
- Most common during late fall, winter, early spring
Etiology
Etiology
- Viral upper respiratory infections most common in acute laryngitis:
- Influenza A and B
- Rhinovirus
- Parainfluenza types 1 and 2
- Adenovirus
- Less common (or in immunocompromised):
- Coxsackievirus, RSV, HSV, HIV, etc.
- Bacterial infections:
- β-Hemolytic streptococcus
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae (HiB)
- Moraxella catarrhalis
- Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA)
- Less common: Pertussis, diphtheria, TB, syphilis, leprosy
- Phonotrauma (Voice abuse or misuse)
- Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (especially in adults)
- Fungal infections (often associated with inhaled steroid use or immunocompromised)
- Allergic
- Inhalation or ingestion of caustic substances or other irritants
- Autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis, relapsing polychondritis, Wegener granulomatosis, or sarcoidosis)
- Trauma
- Idiopathic
Pediatric Considerations
- Acute spasmodic laryngitis (spasmodic croup)
- More likely to be infectious
- Consider HiB, diphtheria, etc., if not immunized
- Consider foreign body
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