Rational antibiotic therapy of respiratory infections

Respiratory infections are among the most common diseases of childhood and the main reason for seeking medical help. Most of them are known to be viral; however, a big role among upper and lower respiratory tract infections belongs to those caused by pathogens such as pneumococci, Haemophilus influenzae and pyogenic streptococci. Despite the availability of international guidelines and medical literature on antimicrobial chemotherapy, the percentage of unjustified antibiotic therapies remains high, leading to enhanced resistance of pathogens