scholarly journals Treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections in children

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 397-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nevenka Roncevic-Babin ◽  
Jelena Popadic ◽  
Aleksandra Stojadinovic

Introduction Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common diseases of childhood. A preschool child suffers up to 5-7 infections of upper airways during a year. Upper airway infections make 80 - 90% of all respiratory infections. Etiology and treatment In 75% of all cases respiratory infections are of viral etiology, 15% of bacterial and 10% are caused by mycoplasma, rickettsiae, fungi, parasites. The treatment of respiratory infections includes antimicrobial therapy (causal), relief of symptoms (symptomatic) and application of general principles of child treatment. The choice of antimicrobial drug is based on the evidence of agents and their sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs, age, patient's condition, previous treatment and possible allergic reactions to the drug. In cases where adequate specimen cannot be obtained for microbiologic tests, when these tests do not reveal the agent, or therapy must start before evidence of the agent is available, we must decide about the therapy, taking in consideration the most frequent agents, and those that would cause the most devastating clinical picture. This therapy can be modified later, according to the isolated agent and its sensitivity to the drug. Considering the incidence and importance of respiratory infections in morbidity and mortality of children, the aim of this article was to present guidelines in treatment of respiratory infections. The main point remains that the treatment should take into consideration the individual patient before all.

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 299-304
Author(s):  
Nevenka Roncevic-Babin ◽  
Jelena Popadic ◽  
Aleksandra Stojadinovic

Introduction Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common childhood diseases. A preschool child suffers up to 5-7 infections of upper airways during a year. Lower airway infections make 5-20% of all respiratory infections. Etiologic factors In developed countries, 75% of pneumonias in childhood are of viral etiology, in 15% of bacterial, and in 10% of some other causative agent (mycoplasma, rickettsiae, fungi, parasites). In developing countries, bacterial pneumonias are present in much higher percentages. Treatment Treatment of respiratory infections includes antimicrobial therapy (causal), relief of symptoms (symptomatic) and conduction of general principles in child treatment. The choice of antimicrobial drug is based on evidence of agents and their sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs, age, patient's condition, previous treatment and possible allergic reactions to the drug. In cases where we cannot provide adequate specimen for microbiologic testing, when these tests do not reveal the agent, or when therapy must be started before the agent is available, we must decide about the therapy, taking in consideration the most frequent agents, and those that would cause the most devastating clinical picture. This therapy can later be modified according to the isolated agent and its sensitivity to the drug. Conclusion Having in mind the incidence and importance of respiratory infections in morbidity and mortality of children the aim of this article was to show guidelines in treatment of respiratory infections in children. The main point remains that we should take in consideration the individual patient before all.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Lei ◽  
Lisong Yang ◽  
Cheong Tat Lou ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
Kin Ian SiTou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the leading causes of hospitalization in children. Understanding the local dominant viral etiologies is important to inform infection control practices and clinical management. This study aimed to investigate the viral etiology and epidemiology of respiratory infections among pediatric inpatients in Macao. Methods A retrospective study using electronic health records between 2014 and 2017 at Kiang Wu Hospital was performed. Nasopharyngeal swab specimens were obtained from hospitalized children aged 13 years or younger with respiratory tract diseases. xMAP multiplex assays were employed to detect respiratory agents including 10 respiratory viruses. Data were analyzed to describe the frequency and seasonality. Results Of the 4880 children enrolled in the study, 3767 (77.1%) were positive for at least one of the 13 viral pathogens tested, of which 2707 (55.5%) being male and 2635 (70.0%) under 2 years old. Among the positive results, there were 3091 (82.0%) single infections and 676 (18.0%) multiple infections. The predominant viruses included human rhinovirus/enterovirus (HRV/EV 27.4%), adenovirus (ADV, 15.8%), respiratory syncytial virus B (RSVB, 7.8%) and respiratory syncytial virus A (RSVA, 7.8%). The detection of viral infection was the most prevalent in autumn (960/1176, 81.6%), followed by spring (1095/1406, 77.9%), winter (768/992, 77.4%), and summer (944/1306, 72.3%), with HRV/EV and ADV being most commonly detected throughout the 4 years of study period. The detection rate of viral infection was highest among ARI patients presented with croup (123/141, 87.2%), followed by lower respiratory tract infection (1924/2356, 81.7%) and upper respiratory tract infection (1720/2383, 72.2%). FluA, FluB and ADV were positive factors for upper respiratory tract infections. On the other hand, infection with RSVA, RSVB, PIV3, PIV4, HMPV, and EV/RHV were positively associated with lower respiratory tract infections; and PIV1, PIV2, and PIV3 were positively associated with croup. Conclusions This is the first study in Macao to determine the viral etiology and epidemiology of pediatric patients hospitalized for ARIs. The study findings can contribute to the awareness of pathogen, appropriate preventative measure, accurate diagnosis, and proper clinical management of respiratory viral infections among children in Macao.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K Certain ◽  
Miriam B Barshak

Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common maladies experienced by humankind.1 The majority are caused by respiratory viruses. A Dutch case-controlled study of primary care patients with acute respiratory tract infections found that viruses accounted for 58% of cases; rhinovirus was the most common (24%), followed by influenza virus type A (11%) and corona­viruses (7%). Group A streptococcus (GAS) was responsible for 11%, and 3% of patients had mixed infections. Potential pathogens were detected in 30% of control patients who were free of acute respiratory symptoms; rhinovirus was the most common.2 Given the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance and the increasing awareness of the importance of a healthy microbiome, antibiotic use for upper respiratory infections should be reserved for those patients with clear indications for treatment. A recent study of adult outpatient visits in the United States found that respiratory complaints accounted for 150 antibiotic prescriptions per 1,000 population annually, yet the expected “appropriate” rate would be 45.3 In other words, most antibiotic prescriptions for these complaints are unnecessary. Similarly, a study in the United Kingdom found that general practitioners prescribed antibiotics to about half of all patients presenting with an upper respiratory infection, even though most of these infections are viral.4 This review contains 5 figures, 16 tables, and 82 references. Keywords: infection, airway, sinusitis, otitis media, otitis externa, pharyngitis, epiglottitis, abscess


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Paź ◽  
Magdalena Arimowicz

An estimated 50% of antibiotic prescriptions may be unjustified in the outpatient setting. Viruses are responsible for most acute respiratory tract infections. The viral infections are often self-limiting and only symptomatic treatment remains effective. Bacteria are involved in a small percentage of infections etiology in this area. In the case of a justified or documented suspicion of a bacterial infection, antibiotic therapy may be indicated. Based on the Polish „Recommendations for the management of non-hospital respiratory infections 2016”, the indications, the rules of choice, the appropriate dosing schedules and the therapy duration, in the most frequent upper respiratory tract infections in adults, have been presented. Implementation of the presented recommendations regarding our Polish epidemiological situation, will significantly reduce the tendency to abuse antibiotics, and thus will limit the spread of drug-resistant microorganisms.


2014 ◽  
Vol 67 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 282-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragana Lakic ◽  
Ivana Tadic ◽  
Marina Odalovic ◽  
Ljiljana Tasic ◽  
Ana Sabo ◽  
...  

Introduction. Respiratory infections are the most common infections in children. The aims of the study were to analyze the use of antibiotics for respiratory infections in the period 2008 - 2010 in children?s population in region of Nis and to estimate the rational use of antibiotics in relation to the recommendations of the National Guidelines for physicians in primary care. Material and methods. Data source was a Pharmacy Nis database. Antibiotics prescriptions were selected for the following diagnoses: H65-H75 (acute otitis media, mastoiditis), J01 (acute sinusitis), J02-J03 (tonsillopharyngitis), J12-J18 (community acquired pneumonia), J20 (acute bronchitis), J32 (chronic sinusitis), J42 (chronic bronchitis). Antibiotic consumption was expressed in defined daily dose/1000 inhabitants/day. Results. The most widely prescribed antibiotic for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections in children during the three years was amoxicillin (34.63; 32.50 and 31.00 defined daily dose/1000 inhabitants/day in 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively). In the treatment of infections of the middle ear and mastoid, the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, was the most prescribed antibiotics (60% of total consumption of antibiotics for this indication). Azithromycin was the most widely prescribed antibiotic for the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections in children during the observed period (6.92; 8.20 and 7.18 defined daily dose/1000 inhabitans/day in 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively). Conclusion. Recommendations of national guidelines are not complied with the treatment of upper and lower respiratory infections in the children population in region of Nis. This could be a sign of potentially irrational use of antibiotics that need to be further examined. Education of physicians can influence irrational use of antibiotics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 1133-1142
Author(s):  
Lehlohonolo John Mathibe ◽  
Nonhle Perseverance Zwane

Background: Acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are contagious diseases of the upper airways, but they are self-limiting in nature. Therefore, antimicrobial-use for the majority of the URTIs is considered inappropriate. Unfortu- nately, globally, antimicrobials are still being prescribed for the treatment of URTIs, especially in children. However, there is insufficient evidence on the causes of this phenomenon in South Africa. Objective: To investigate whether the parents/guardians accompanying children with URTIs expected/influenced physi- cians and/or nurses to prescribe antibiotics. Methods: This was a prospective descriptive and explorative questionnaire-based study. Participants were guardians who accompanied children aged five years and below, diagnosed with acute URTIs. Findings: Three hundred and six parents/guardians participated in this study. Seventy six percent (n=233) of participants received antibiotics for URTIs for their children, and 67% (n=156) of these did not make requests for antimicrobial therapy. On overall, there was a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) chance (with OR of 5.9; 95% CI, 2.4 – 14.2) for receiving antibi- otics for URTIs without a request. Conclusion: Physicians and other healthcare providers need education on rational prescribing of antimicrobials, and to implement evidence-based standard treatment guidelines, to reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics in children with self-lim- iting URTIs. Keywords: Antibiotics; antimicrobials; prescribing; upper respiratory tract infections; children.


1989 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 180-182
Author(s):  
Richard Hong

Recurrent infections constitute a major challenge to primary care physicians. Primary immunodeficiency or other alterations of the host defense system are extremely rare. In the case of recurrent respiratory infections, particularly of the lungs, a diagnosis will result much more often from ordering a sweat chloride test than a serum immunoglobulin level. RECURRENT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS The major reason for referral to our clinic for investigation of the immune system is a complaint of too many upper respiratory tract infections. Each respiratory infection in a young child means loss of sleep for child and parents, expenditure of time at the physician's office, and possible loss of income in addition to the expense of medication and office visits. The child is often irritable and his or her misery clouds the home atmosphere. With repeated episodes of this sort each year, it is small wonder that parents want relief. The average number of upper respiratory tract infections experienced by healthy children is approximately 9 to 10 per year. At least 100 viruses can cause the common cold. Accordingly, even when a child has a normal immune system establishing immunity to each virus or virus subtype, it can take many years for a broad enough immunity to develop to diminish the frequency of infection due to newly encountered respiratory viruses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-70
Author(s):  
S.S. Smirnova ◽  
◽  
E.V. Lelenkova ◽  
A.Yu. Markaryan ◽  
I.V. Vyalykh ◽  
...  

Objective. To study the clinical, epidemiological and etiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in in-patients in Ekaterinburg during the epidemic season 2017–2018. Patients and methods. 403 individual medical records were studied. Etiological decoding was carried out by isolating RNA or DNA of respiratory viruses from nasopharyngeal swabs by polymerase chain reaction. Results. SARI in hospitalized patients were caused by both influenza viruses (В Yamagata – 25.2% and А(H1N1)pdm09 – 11.0%) and viruses of non-influenza etiology (respiratory syncytial virus (RS-virus) – 13.3%, rhinovirus – 12.9%, metapneumovirus – 11.0%). It was found that viruses were more often secreted in children than in adults; among children of the younger age group (0–2 years old) viruses of non-influenza etiology were detected significantly more often, and in children 7–14 years old, influenza viruses were more often isolated. Patients with upper respiratory tract infections were significantly more likely to have influenza viruses (78.9%) than patients with lower respiratory tract infections (21.1%). Conclusion. The results of the study indicate the importance of hospital surveillance for SARI from the point of view of the etiological diagnosis of respiratory infections, the study of epidemiology and typical clinical manifestations for the timely diagnosis and development of additional preventive and anti-epidemic measures. Key words: hospital surveillance, influenza, PCR diagnostics, respiratory infections, epidemiology, etiology


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