Diagnosis and management of respiratory tract infections for the primary care physician

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections cause nearly half of deaths owing to infectious disease in the United States. This article has discussed the management of several common respiratory tract infections, with an emphasis on appropriate diagnosis and use of antimicrobial agents. Understanding the cause of various respiratory tract infections enables primary care physicians to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, decreasing adverse effects owing to medications and preventing the rise in antimicrobial resistance.

Figure 1

Diagnosis and management of acute pharyngitis. This applies to uncomplicated cases of acute pharyngitis; additional diagnostic and therapeutic measures may be necessary for patients with suppurative complications (e.g., peritonsillar abscess or cervical lymphadenitis) or when infection with uncommon pharyngeal bacterial pathogens (e.g., Corynebacterium diphtheriae or Neisseria gonorrhoeae) is suspected. (From Bisno AL, Gerber MA, Gwaltney JM, et al: Diagnosis and management of Group A streptococcal pharyngitis: A practice guideline. Clin Infect Dis 25: 574–583, 1997; with permission.)