Acute upper airway infections are common and important. Although rarely fatal, they are a source of significant morbidity and carry a considerable economic burden. This review will focus on clinical controversies in the diagnosis and management of upper respiratory tract infections and their complications.
The common cold, although usually a minor, self-limiting illness, results in significant school absence and complications such as secondary bacterial infection. Additionally, coryzal illnesses play a significant part in exacerbations of asthma and result in considerable morbidity in children.
