The use of oral antibiotics in daily clinical practice.

In the treatment of infectious diseases in daily clinical practice, the physician is faced with a wide choice of antibiotics. Rational antibiotic use requires knowledge of the pathogens causing disease at that site, and the prevalence of resistance. In outpatient respiratory tract infection, for example, 3 pathogens, Branhamella (Moraxella) catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, predominate, beta-Lactamase production by the first 2 is a significant factor in antibiotic selection for respiratory tract infection. Empirical antibiotics are selected for efficacy, cost-effectiveness, safety and patient compliance.