Bacteriology of the Upper Respiratory Tract: What is Important?

Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs are commonly collected from patients with a variety of respiratory infections. Unfortunately, the significance of potential pathogens in such specimens is clouded by the prevalence of these organisms in asymptomatic patients and in patients with non-bacterial upper respiratory tract illnesses. Specimens from the oro-and nasopharynx seldom predict the flora in other parts of the respiratory tract, and empiric antibiotic therapy for infections such as acute otitis media, sinusitis, and pneumonia is usually inevitable. The author of this article reviews the bacteriology of the upper respiratory tract and makes recommendations for diagnosis and treatment.