title: Clinical Signs and Diagnostic Tests in Acute Respiratory Infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinical manifestations of acute respiratory system infectious diseases and specific tests for causative agents in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors evaluated children aged 0-16 y with clinical symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections who were administered rapid strep A test and/or throat culture test and/or respiratory viral panel test, from February 2012 through January 2013 at pediatric department of Acıbadem Maslak Hospital, Turkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1654 patients were evaluated; 45.9 % were girls, 54.1 % were boys. Absence of cough and presence of headache were higher in the patients >6 y of age (p 0.0001, p 0.002 respectively). Positive respiratory viral panel test was higher in the patients <2 y of age (p 0.002). Both positive rapid strep A test and positive throat culture test were higher in the patients >6 y of age (p 0.0001). Positivity of rapid strep A or throat culture test were not observed in children <2 y of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A clinician should mostly consider viral infections in the etiology of acute respiratory infections in children under 2 y of age and there is no need to rush for the use antibiotherapy. Bacterial etiology should be frequently considered after 6 y of age and rapid use of antibiotherapy is essential to avoid the complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Acıbadem Maslak Hospital, 063340, İstanbul, Turkey. raziyemektup@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Raziye
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dut
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Acıbadem, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sesin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kocagöz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003948:Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Beta hemolytic streptococcus; Children; Clinical signs; Diagnostic tests