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2. Respiratory diseases
Rhinitis and rhinopharyngitis
(common cold)
2
R h initis (inflam m ation of th e nasal m ucosa) and rh inoph aryng itis (inflam m ation of th e
nasal and ph aryng eal m ucosa) are g enerally benig n, self-lim ited and m ost often of v iral
orig in. H ow ev er, th ey m ay be an early sig n of anoth er infection ( e.g . m easles or
influenza) or m ay be com plicated by a bacterial infection (e.g . otitis m ed ia or sinusitis).
Clinical features
– N asal d isch arg e or obstruction, w h ich m ay be accom panied by sore th roat, fev er,
coug h , lacrim ation, and d iarrh oea in infants. P urulent nasal d isch arg e is not
ind icativ e of a second ary bacterial infection.
– In ch ild ren und er 5 years, routinely ch eck th e tym panic m em branes to look for an
associated otitis m ed ia.
Treatment
– A ntibiotic treatm ent is not recom m end ed : it d oes not prom ote recov ery nor prev ent
com plications.
– T reatm ent is sym ptom atic:
• C lear th e nose w ith 0 .9 % sod ium c1h lorid e .
• F ev er, th roat soreness: paracetam ol P O for 2 to 3 d ays (see pag e 2 6 ).
1 For a child: place him on his back, head turned to the side, and instil 0.9% sodium chloride into each nostril.
49
Rhinitis and rhinopharyngitis
(common cold)
2
R h initis (inflam m ation of th e nasal m ucosa) and rh inoph aryng itis (inflam m ation of th e
nasal and ph aryng eal m ucosa) are g enerally benig n, self-lim ited and m ost often of v iral
orig in. H ow ev er, th ey m ay be an early sig n of anoth er infection ( e.g . m easles or
influenza) or m ay be com plicated by a bacterial infection (e.g . otitis m ed ia or sinusitis).
Clinical features
– N asal d isch arg e or obstruction, w h ich m ay be accom panied by sore th roat, fev er,
coug h , lacrim ation, and d iarrh oea in infants. P urulent nasal d isch arg e is not
ind icativ e of a second ary bacterial infection.
– In ch ild ren und er 5 years, routinely ch eck th e tym panic m em branes to look for an
associated otitis m ed ia.
Treatment
– A ntibiotic treatm ent is not recom m end ed : it d oes not prom ote recov ery nor prev ent
com plications.
– T reatm ent is sym ptom atic:
• C lear th e nose w ith 0 .9 % sod ium c1h lorid e .
• F ev er, th roat soreness: paracetam ol P O for 2 to 3 d ays (see pag e 2 6 ).
1 For a child: place him on his back, head turned to the side, and instil 0.9% sodium chloride into each nostril.
49
