title: [Acute and chronic bronchitis].
abstract: Acute bronchitis and exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are important problems in clinical practice. Acute bronchitis is frequently caused by viruses, and rarely by Mycoplasma or Chlamydia pneumoniae. Antimicrobial therapy is generally not indicated. The causes of exacerbations in patients with chronic bronchitis are often not clear. Beside environmental irritants and hypersensitivity with acute bronchospasm, viral infections are important. The role of bacterial infections is not established. Nevertheless, early antibiotic treatment seems to be beneficial, particularly in reducing the incidence of respiratory deterioration, and therefore decreasing cost and morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department für Innere Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Speich
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005100:Expectorants
vernacular_title: Akute und chronische Bronchitis.