PREVALENCE OF UPPER AND LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS PRESENTING IN MEDICAL OUTDOOR

An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is an illness caused by an acute infection, which involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, or trachea. Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is a term often used as a synonym for pneumonia but can also be applied to other types of infection including lung abscess and acute bronchitis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of upper and lower respiratory tract infection among patients presenting in medical outdoor department. This study was conducted among the patients presenting in the medical outdoor department of different hospitals. Name, age, gender and history and duration of respiratory tract infection were noted on a predefined proforma. The mean age of the patients was 34.98±4.23 years. There were 43 males and 55 females. There were 15 (35%) males and 42 (65%) females who presented with upper respiratory tract infections. There were 29 (65%) males and 13 (24%) females presented with lower respiratory tract infections. The mean duration of infection was 5.78±2.34 days