![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Depiction_of_a_person_with_a_lung_or_lower_respiratory_tract_infection.png/640px-Depiction_of_a_person_with_a_lung_or_lower_respiratory_tract_infection.png&w=640&q=50)
Lower respiratory tract infection
Medical term / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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. Symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness, fever, coughing and fatigue.[3] A routine chest X-ray is not always necessary for people who have symptoms of a lower respiratory tract infection.[4]
Lower respiratory tract infection | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Depiction of a person with LRTI | |
Specialty | Pulmonology ![]() |
Frequency | 291 million (2015)[1] |
Deaths | 2.74 million (2015)[2] |
Influenza affects both the upper and lower respiratory tracts.[citation needed]
Antibiotics are the first line treatment for pneumonia; however, they are neither effective nor indicated for parasitic or viral infections. Acute bronchitis typically resolves on its own with time.[citation needed]
In 2015 there were about 291 million cases.[1] These resulted in 2.74 million deaths down from 3.4 million deaths in 1990.[5][2] This was 4.8% of all deaths in 2013.[5]