Respiratory tract infections: causes and treatment

All infectious diseases are divided according to the source into viral and bacterial. If the virus is the causative agent of the disease, then antibiotics in this case are powerless. These drugs can not reduce pain and temperature. Infections of respiratory tracts caused by viruses have a peculiarity: they appear and spread very rapidly, but afterwards, as a rule, the same spontaneous and rapid recovery. For bacterial reasons, treatment of an airway infection with antibiotics becomes necessary. The nature of the respiratory tract infection is determined by a number of reasons that are established by the doctor after the person who has fallen ill passes tests. In this case, antibiotic treatment helps to avoid the chronic form of the disease or serious complications.

Localization of infections

Local pathogens of respiratory tract infection in the mucosa. In some cases of disease, they retain their primary localization and migrate to various tissues and organs along with blood or other blood flow. The causative agent is excreted from the body during sneezing, coughing, with air during a conversation. Particles of the deadened epithelium, droplets of exudate, mucus that contain the causative agent, depending on the size and influence of other factors for some time in the air remain suspended or settle on various objects surrounding the person, and dry up. The contents of the droplets in the dried state in the form of dust again enter the air. In the next( susceptible) organism, thus, the causative agent enters with inhaled air and dust particles or in the contents of the droplets. Dust infection, of course, is possible with such infections in which the causative agent is able to withstand drying( diphtheria, tuberculosis and others).

Infection with

Infection is significantly less likely than other routes. Some pathogens of the upper respiratory tract infection, along with the primary localization in the body, have a secondary one. Due to it, the causative agents of leprosy, chickenpox, which are localized in the mucous membranes and skin( granulomas, pustules), and in leprosy and other tissues and organs, through any objects fall into another organism. Especially characteristic is the transmission of infection through objects for angina with different etiology, scarlet fever, mumps, diphtheria. Of paramount importance in this case are those items on which saliva appears during use( mouthpieces, whistles, drinking fountains, dishes).

Spread of the disease

Infection of the upper respiratory tract is characterized by a fairly extensive spread. Many are difficult to avoid the disease, and some infections people are sick many times over the course of their life. Respiratory tract infection has an important epidemiological feature - it is high coverage of children at a very young age. Therefore, it is no coincidence that many diseases of this group have long been called childhood infections. The sharp difference in morbidity is in fact due to immunity in adults, which was acquired in childhood.