Dr. Gigi Chawla and Dr. Anupama Kalaskar weigh in on challenges in diagnosing viral and bacterial respiratory illnesses in children

Many viral and bacterial respiratory illnesses have overlapping symptoms. It can often be challenging for pediatricians to determine a child’s diagnosis, which affects how the child should be treated. Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of general pediatrics, spoke to Healio on how conflicts in testing recommendations may make differentiating between bacterial and viral illnesses difficult. Dr. Anupama Kalaskar, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, also weighed in on the challenges of testing, stating that the setting and epidemiology of the disease affect which tests can be used. According to Dr. Chawla, in a perfect setting, tests would be cost-effective, deliver high-quality results and optimize clinics’ efficiency, which is challenging for outpatient practices. Read the full article: Viral, bacterial diagnostics bolster antimicrobial stewardship.