1. Wstęp. 2. Dobór materiałów do badań mikrobiologicznych w zapaleniach gdo. 3. Ostre zapalenie gardła i migdałków podniebiennych. 4. Ostre zapalenie ucha środkowego oraz jam nosowych i zatok przynosowych. 5. Materiały nieodpowiednie do diagnostyki zapaleń gdo i błędy interpretacyjne. 6. Podsumowanie

Abstract: Microbiological diagnosis can help to establish the etiological factor of acute pharyngotonsillitis, otitis media and sinusitis only of appropriate specimens have been collected. Since relevant specimens for the diagnosis of otitis media and sinusitis have to be obtained with the usage of invasive procedures, microbiological diagnosis in both diseases is not routinely recommended.

Administration of antibiotic therapy depends on clinical examination and the course of infection. The choice of antibiotic should be based on the recommendations. In Poland, the antibiotic of choice to treat acute bacterial otitis media and sinusitis is amoxicillin. In acute pharyngotonsillitis, microbiological examination is essential to confir m streptococcal etiology. It is not required if clinical examination suggests viral pharyngitis. To confirm or exclude streptococcal pharyngitis, throat swab should be obtained to perform rapid antigen detection test (RADT) or culture. Only patients with microbiologically

confirmed streptococcal pharyngitis should be treated with antibiotic. Penicillin is the drug of choice to treat streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis. Inappropriate specimens should not be the subject of microbiological examination. ;e results of microbiological examination sh ould provide physicians with interpretation, they cannot only contain the list of cultured bacteria. The discrimination should be done between etiological factors, normal flora and carrier state. Such approach can decrease unnecessary antibiotic use in the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections. It can also curtail the increasing antibiotic resistance among respiratory pathogens.

1. Introduction. 2. ;e choice of appropriate specimens for microbiological diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infections. 3. Acute pharyngotonsillitis. 4. Acute otitis media and sinusitis. 5. Inappropriate specimens for microbiological diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infections and interpretation errors. 6. Summar