Acute respiratory infections: a review.

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) constitute one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality in many countries. Data from 88 countries in five continents, with a total population of nearly 1200 million, showed that deaths due to ARI in 1972 amounted to 666 000. Pneumonia, both viral and bacterial, accounted for 75.5% of the total deaths from ARI. Mortality from ARI represents 6.3% of deaths from all causes. Considerable differences in mortality rates exist both between and within continents. Mortality from ARI is highest in infants and old people. The data suggest that in some areas of the world mortality due to ARI is extremely high.