Prevention of Complications of Respiratory Illnesses in Pediatric Practice

Abstract

THE many successes in the use of antibiotics to overcome specific infections and to prevent the recurrence of rheumatic fever or an outbreak of meningococcal infection within a closed population are well established. Such success has led to the widespread free use of antibiotics in almost every febrile respiratory illness — to the point of frequent overuse and misuse.Several recent studies cast doubt on the ability of antimicrobial agents administered in anticipation of a bacterial complication to prevent such an occurrence.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 One of us, E.H.T.,10 in a controlled study of pediatric patients by the random-selection method, demonstrated that the . . .