ABSTRACT
Community-acquired respiratory tract infections (CRTIs) are among the most prevalent and serious infections in the United States, accounting for over 50 million physician visits, 5 million hospitalizations, and 100 thousand deaths annually [1-3]. As a result, the economic impact of CRTIs is substantial. In 1985, the cost of treating CRTIs was estimated to be over $15 billion (US, 1985) [4]. Not only are these costs significantly greater today due to inflation as well as more costly treatment options, they also tend to be considerably underestimated because of the intrinsic error introduced in cost-of-illness studies. Moreover, the implications of increasing resistance among commonly encountered bacterial pathogens, which in turnmay lead to clinical failure when inappropriate therapy is initiated empirically, will significantly add to the total economic burden of CRTIs [5].
