How can I tell if an illness is viral or bacterial?
Acute bronchitis is inflammation of the upper airways, commonly following a Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). The cause is usually a viral infection though it is sometimes a bacterial infection; the pathogen is rarely identified. The most common symptom is cough with or without fever and/or sputum production. In patients with COPD, hemoptysis, burning chest pain, and hypoxemia may also occur. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment is supportive; antibiotics are necessary only for patients with chronic lung disease. Prognosis is excellent in patients without lung disease, but in patients with COPD, acute respiratory failure may result. A physical examination will often reveal decreased intensity of breath sounds, wheezing, rhonchi and prolonged expiration. Most doctors rely on the presence of a persistent dry or wet cough as evidence of bronchitis. A variety of tests may be performed in patients presenting with cough and shortness of breath: * A chest X-ray that reveals hyperinflation; colla
