C-Reactive Protein and Serum Procalcitonin Levels As Markers of Bacterial Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) are the most frequent infections of the community, with major social and financial impact [1]. They represent a heterogeneous group of diseases ranging from common cold to complicated rhinosinusitis and acute otitis media. The main challenge for the physician is to distinguish the uncomplicated cold from cases of streptococcal pharyngitis and secondary bacterial sinusitis and otitis media in order to avoid overprescribing of antibiotics, limit complications, costs and selection of resistant microorganisms. It is estimated that physicians in such cases overprescribe antibiotics by 50% [2-4].