Basic Science and Pathophysiology

‘

Chest infection’ is a lay term, which is used to describe a spectrum of respiratory tract infections.

Only 5-12% of lower respiratory tract infections diagnosed clinically by GPs and treated with antibiotics have pneumonia, which strictly defined is an infection of the lung parenchyma.

Lung parenchyma inflammation causes local alveoli to fill with fluid and exudates, which accounts for the clinically apparent features of productive cough and reduced oxygenation.