Upper respiratory tract infection
Classification & external resources
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| Conducting passages. |
| ICD-10 |
J00-06., J30-39. |
| ICD-9 |
465.9 |
Upper respiratory infections, commonly referred to the acronym URI, is the illness caused by an acute infection which involves the upper respiratory tract: nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, or bronchi. It is the most common cause of days missed from work or school and one of the most common reasons for a medical visit. It is estimated that the average adult has from two to three URI-type illnesses per year and the average child six to 10. In the United States, this represents approximately one billion acute upper respiratory illnesses annually.
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Contents
- 1 Signs and symptoms
- 2 Treatment
- 3 See also
- 4 Reference
- 5 External links
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Signs and symptoms
Acute upper respiratory tract infections includes rhinosinusitis (common cold), sinusitis, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, laryngitis and sometimes bronchitis. Symptoms of URI's commonly include congestion, cough, running nose, sore throat, fever, facial pressure and sneezing. Onset of the symptoms usually begins after 1-3 days after exposure to a microbial pathogen, most commonly a virus. The duration of the symptoms is typically 7 to 10 days but may persist longer.
Recent studies show that up to 98% of all cases are viral in nature. Upper respiratory infections are caused by bacteria in less than 2% of all cases. However, it is important to mention that up to 15% of acute pharyngitis cases may be caused by bacteria, commonly Group A Strep ("Strep Throat"). Generally, patients with "Strep Throat" start with a sore throat as their first symptom and usually do not have runny nose or cough or sneezing.
Pain and pressure of the ear caused by a middle ear infection (Otitis media) is often associated with upper respiratory infections.
Influenza (the flu) is a more systemic illness, which can also involve the upper respiratory tract, should be recognized as distinct from other causes of URI.
Treatment
Although viruses are the most likely cause of URIs and do not respond to antibiotic treatment, antibiotics continue to be widely prescribed for this illness. Judicious use of antibiotics can reduce unnecessary adverse effects of antibiotics as well as out-of-pocket costs to the patient. But more importantly, decreased antibiotic usage will prevent development of antimicrobial resistance, which is now a growing problem in the world. International, as well as local US health agencies, have been strongly encouraging physicians to decrease the prescribing of antibiotics to treat common upper respiratory tract infections because antibiotic usage does not significantly reduce recovery time for these viral illnesses. Rest, increased fluids, and symptomatic care with over-the-counter medications is the treatment of choice.
However, some high risk patients with underlying pulmonary disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may be more likely to benefit from antibiotics.
