Community-acquired respiratory infection: keeping patients at home

This overview focuses on two types of lower respiratory infections: acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and community-acquired pneumonia. Each of these types of respiratory infection is responsible for considerable morbidity, and in some instances mortality, in adults every year. Not all adult cases, however, require hospitilization. Specifically, prompt initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy is of primary importance in minimizing the deleterious effects of acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. The majority of patients can be treated effectively as out-patients. Similarly, most patients with community-acquired pneumonia can be cared for at home. The need for hospitalization must be determined individually and is based upon the severity of the patient's illness as well as the presence of associated underlying disease.