Acute Respiratory Infections in Children: Etiology and Epidemiology

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Abstract
Acute respiratory infections are the most common affliction of humans, and their tendency to occur with much greater frequency in children makes them especially important to the pediatrician. A host of microbial agents can cause acute respiratory infections but only a few are responsive to antimicrobial agents. Because of the paucity of definitive laboratory tools that allow the easy recognition of the cause of acute respiratory infections, it is important for the practicing pediatrician to have other methods that aid in the clinical management of children with these infections. It is the purpose of this review to discuss the etiology and epidemiology of acute respiratory infections with emphasis on how this knowledge can guide the clinician in their management. The groundwork for the major emphasis of the paper will be laid by suggesting a classification of upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Causative agents will be enumerated and put into perspective. The major factors associated with the occurrence of acute respiratory infections will be discussed in some detail and several risk factors will be evaluated. It is important for the reader to understand that the field of acute respiratory tract infections is so extensive and complex that a complete discussion of the entire field is not possible in this review.

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