Acute Respiratory Infection
Upper respiratory infections and lower respiratory infections are the two kinds of acute respiratory infections. The airways from the nose to the vocal cords in the larynx, as well as the paranasal sinuses and the middle ear, make up the upper respiratory system. The extension of the airways from the trachea and bronchi to the bronchioles and alveoli is represented by the lower respiratory tract. Because of the possibility of infection or microbial toxins spreading throughout the body, inflammation, and impaired lung function, acute respiratory infections have systemic consequences. Diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles are vaccine-preventable infections that attack the respiratory system as well as other organs.
Except during the newborn period, acute respiratory infections are the most prevalent cause of sickness and death in children under the age of five, with an average of three to seven episodes per year, independent of where they reside or their financial position. However, the percentage of mild to severe disease differs between high- and low-income nations, and the severity of lower respiratory tract infections in children under five is worse in developing countries due to differences in specific etiologies and risk factors, resulting in a higher case-fatality rate. Despite the fact that medical treatment can reduce both severity and fatality to some amount, many severe lower respiratory tract infections do not benefit from treatment, owing to a lack of very potent antiviral medications. Every year, 11 million children die. According to statistics, 2 million people died from acute respiratory infections in 2000, with 70 percent of them dying in Africa and Southeast Asia. According to the World Health Organization, 2 million children under the age of five die of pneumonia each year.