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