Respiratory Tract Infection
5 medicines
A respiratory tract infection affects the airways or lungs, from a mild sinus or throat infection to bronchitis or pneumonia. Most cases are viral and settle on their own; bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or cefpodoxime.
Terramycin
Oxytetracycline
250mg
Terramycin is a antibiotics medication containing Oxytetracycline, available as 250mg tablets.
Vibramycin
Doxycycline
100mg
Vibramycin is a antibiotics medication containing Doxycycline, available as 100mg tablets.
Key facts
- A respiratory tract infection (RTI) affects any part of the airway, from the nose and throat (an upper RTI) down to the bronchi and lungs (a lower RTI).
- Upper RTIs, such as colds, sinusitis and pharyngitis, are usually viral and clear up on their own. Lower RTIs, including bronchitis and pneumonia, carry a higher risk of needing treatment.
- Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics: doxycycline and roxithromycin cover atypical chest pathogens, cefpodoxime offers broader coverage for more complicated infections, and ciprofloxacin is used where Gram-negative bacteria are suspected.
- Seek prompt medical care for breathing difficulty, a fever that won't settle, chest pain, coughing up blood, or confusion.
Upper versus lower RTIs
An RTI covers any infection of the airways. Upper RTIs, colds, sinusitis, pharyngitis, are the most common and typically resolve within a week or two without specific treatment. Lower RTIs, bronchitis and pneumonia, involve the bronchi or lung tissue itself and tend to need closer attention, since they carry a greater chance of bacterial involvement and complications.
Bacterial vs viral: why it matters for treatment
Most RTIs are viral and get better without antibiotics. A bacterial cause becomes more likely when symptoms are severe, localised (one-sided sinus pain, a productive cough with discoloured sputum), or fail to improve after around 10 days. When bacteria are confirmed or strongly suspected, antibiotics are the standard approach.
How bacterial RTIs are treated
Doxycycline and roxithromycin are commonly used against atypical respiratory pathogens such as Mycoplasma and Chlamydophila, frequent causes of community-acquired chest infections. For more resistant or complicated infections, cefpodoxime, a third-generation cephalosporin, provides broader coverage, while ciprofloxacin is sometimes used where Gram-negative organisms are suspected. The right choice depends on how severe the infection is and what a clinician expects is causing it.
When to seek prompt medical help
Seek care without delay if you develop difficulty breathing, a high fever that does not settle, chest pain, coughing up blood, or confusion. These can signal a more serious lower respiratory illness that needs clinical assessment rather than self-management.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.