Community-acquired respiratory infections: spectrum of organisms and treatment

The respiratory infections addressed in this paper include otitis media, sinusitis, and community-acquired pneumonia. The morbidity and mortality of respiratory infections are assessed from the American standpoint ; their worldwide significance is even greater. The emphasis is on specific diagnosis. Treatment options vary from country to country. Therapeutic decisions are usually easy once a specific etiologic organism is isolated. Since in many of these common respiratory infections a specific microorganism is not documented and empiric therapy is designed based on past clinical studies, resistance patterns need to be known for each country.