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Chest infections - adult - Background information
What is it?
- Chest infections in the primary care setting can be broadly split into acute bronchitis, pneumonia, and infective exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Further information about infective exacerbations of COPD is available in the CKS topic on Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Acute bronchitis is a transient inflammation of the trachea and major bronchi caused by infection [Wark, 2006]. Inflammation, associated with oedema and mucus production leads to cough and phlegm production that last for up to 3 weeks [Braman, 2006].
- Community-acquired pneumonia is an acute infection of the lung parenchyma acquired in the community [Bartlett, 2003].
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