[Reasons for recurrent respiratory tract inflammations in children]

Respiratory tract inflammations are among the most frequent diseases in children. In natural conditions, respiratory tract is constantly prone to environmental pathogens. In fighting the respiratory tract infections both non-specific and specific: humoral and cellular immune mechanisms, related to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), take part. In healthy subjects, the upper respiratory tract is affluent in physiological bacterial flora comprising aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, some of them potentially pathogenic. In periods of reduced immunity they can cause endogenous infections. Contrary to the upper, the lower respiratory ways are physiologically sterile. The imbalance between defense mechanisms and pathogenity of microorganisms can lead to the development of infection. Recurrent respiratory tract inflammations, due to complexity of their causes, are a problem of great importance. Early estimation of the etiology of recurrent inflammations is particularly crucial, as it allows introduction of aimed therapy and prophylactics, thus preventing the child from the development of irreversible pulmonary lesions and impairment of physical development.