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Chest infections - adult - Background information
How common is it?
- Acute respiratory infections present commonly in general practice, and account for 17% of all consultations [DTB, 1998].
- The annual incidence of acute bronchitis is 44 per 1000 adult population. Most episodes occur during autumn or winter [Wark, 2006].
- The annual incidence of community-acquired pneumonia is 5–11 per 1000 adult population [British Thoracic Society, 2004].
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