Upper respiratory tract infection |
Upper respiratory tract infection, also popularly known as either the acronym URTI or
URI, is the disease characterised by an acute infection which involves the nose, sinuses, pharynx, or
larynx. Symptoms of URTIs include cough,
rhinorrhea (running nose), sore throat, fever and myalgia. Influenza is a more systemic illness
which can also involve the upper respiratory tract and should be recognized as distinct from other causes of URI.
Infective agents for URTIs include respiratory viruses, bacteria and fungi. The most common form of URTI by far is a viral infection, otherwise known as the common cold. Although viruses are the most likely etiology of URIs and are not
amenable to antibiotic treatment, antibiotics continue to be widely prescribed
for this illness. Unnecessary adverse effects of antibiotics and development of antimicrobial resistance can be reduced by
judicious use of these drugs. In patients with URTIs, antimicrobial therapy generally has been shown to result in symptom
resolution 1 to 2 days sooner than when symptomatic measures alone are used. Some high risk patients with underlying pulmonary
disease, such as Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are more likely to benefit from antibiotics when they develop symptoms consistent with
a URTI. Health care providers generally try to educate their patients about the self-limited nature of most URIs and the hazards
of inappropriate use of antibiotics for the individual patient and the community.
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