What is a Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI)?

What is a respiratory tract infection? A respiratory tract infection (RTI) is an infection that affects the respiratory tract, which is a general term used to describe the parts of our body involved in breathing, including the mouth, nose, sinuses, throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), airways and lungs.1 RTIs are very common, especially during…

Respiratory Health

What causes Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs)?

Bacterial or Viral RTI? Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are mostly caused by either viruses or bacterium. Most upper RTIs are caused by viruses, which cannot be treated with antibiotics (these only work on bacterial infections). Our immune system can fight off most viral infections by itself.1 Some lower RTIs like pneumonia are caused by bacteria.…

Respiratory Health

Who is at risk?

Who is at risk? Although anyone can suffer from a respiratory tract infection (RTI), which is highly common, some of us are more vulnerable to the infection. These include1,2: Children under 2 years old People over 65 years old Pregnant women People with a chronic health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease People with…

Respiratory Health