ABSTRACT
I. Background and Definitions 485
II. Pathophysiology 486
III. Microbiology and Diagnosis 486
IV. Antimicrobial Treatment 488
References 489
I. Background and Definitions
Bronchitis is defined as inflammation of the bronchial respiratory mucosa. This
condition often does not exist in children as an isolated clinical entity, but
rather is associated with several other conditions of the upper and lower
respiratory tracts. The clinical definition of bronchitis in children is not well
established. Clinicians typically make the diagnosis for a child with cough of
relatively gradual onset, beginning 3-4 days after the appearance of rhinitis,
with or without fever or sputum production. In a survey conducted in Georgia,
physicians reported up to 102 different combinations of necessary findings to
diagnose acute bronchitis, including presence of rhinitis, cough, wheeze,
bronchial sounds, and fever (1). Almost half of these physicians used a certain
duration of cough or of productive cough as an essential criterion.
