An upper respiratory tract infection is an acute infectious illness involving the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx or trachea. The term covers a group of common problems including nasal obstruction, sore throat, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, otitis media and the common cold. Most of these infections are viral in origin, while some are bacterial, and fungal or helminthic causes are possible but less common. Because the label describes a region of the body and a broad set of illnesses rather than a single pathogen, it is used as a general clinical category for infections above the lower airways.
Facts
Classification
ICD-10 ChapterX: Diseases of the Respiratory System 1 Causative Agent
Causative Agent (category) Sources
1. Upper respiratory tract infection (Wikipedia)
Lead, first sentence
involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx or trachea
Lead, second sentence
Most infections are viral in nature, and in other instances, the cause is bacterial.
lead sentence 1
An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is an illness caused by an acute infection, which involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx or trachea.
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