Most respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses. Bacterial respiratory tract infections are usually treated empirically with antibiotic therapy that targets the most probable causative pathogens. Recommended antibiotic regimens for outpatient treatment of some common respiratory tract infections are listed in Table 1 for adults and Table 2 for children.

Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is usually empiric, with selected antibiotic regimens directed against some of the most common causative pathogens. Recommended empiric regimens are listed in Table 2; recommended antibiotic dosages for treatment of CAP are listed in Tables 3 and 4. Joint guidelines for treatment of CAP by the American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS/IDSA) were updated in 2019.

Lefamulin (Xenleta – Nabriva), a semisynthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic, has been approved by the FDA for IV and oral treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) in adults. It is the first systemic pleuromutilin antibiotic to be approved in the US; retapamulin (Altabax), a 1% topical ointment for treatment of impetigo, was approved in 2007.