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Review
. 2017 Dec;49(4):326-352.
doi: 10.3947/ic.2017.49.4.326.

Guidelines for the Antibiotic Use in Adults with Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Affiliations
Review

Guidelines for the Antibiotic Use in Adults with Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Young Kyung Yoon et al. Infect Chemother. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

These guidelines were developed as part of the 2016 Policy Research Servicing Project by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A multidisciplinary approach was taken to formulate this guideline to provide practical information about the diagnosis and treatment of adults with acute upper respiratory tract infection, with the ultimate aim to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics. The formulation of this guideline was based on a systematic literature review and analysis of the latest research findings to facilitate evidence-based practice, and focused on key questions to help clinicians obtain solutions to clinical questions that may arise during the care of a patient. These guidelines mainly cover the subjects on the assessment of antibiotic indications and appropriate selection of antibiotics for adult patients with acute pharyngotonsillitis or acute sinusitis.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Guideline; Pharyngitis; Rhinosinusitis; Tonsillitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart for use of antibiotics for acute pharyngotonsillitis
Figure 2
Figure 2
How to take a throat swab. ① Press the tongue with a tongue depressor to reveal both palatine tonsils and uvula. ② Without touching the uvula, place a sterile swab deep inside the throat, past the uvula. ③ Gently stroke one palatine tonsil, posterior nasopharynx, and the other palatine tonsil, in the order specified. ④ Collect samples of lesions such as exudate in the area of sample collection. Be careful not to touch other areas in the mouth, such as the tongue and inner cheek, or to contaminate the swab with saliva. Immediately place the swab in a sterile tube and send it to the laboratory [26]
Figure 3
Figure 3
Flowchart for early use of empirical antibiotic therapy in patients with acute bacterial sinusitis

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