The continuing challenge of lower respiratory tract infections.
Lower respiratory tract infections have been a major cause of morbidity and mortality among humans since the dawn of history. The initial hope that the era of antibiotics would remove this scourge has been replaced by the more realistic view that although antimicrobial agents represent a major therapeutic advance, they have not yet solved all of the problems of lower respiratory tract infections. The pneumococcus, for example, causes mortality in a certain number of patients despite antimicrobial therapy. An even greater challenge is being imposed by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance among important bacterial pathogens, especially Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Moellering
Robert C
RC
Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. rmoeller@caregroup.harvard.edu
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology