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The common cold and flu are two very different viruses that share very similar symptoms. The common cold is a self-limiting upper respiratory tract infection caused by the rhinovirus, coronavirus or the adenovirus. It usually resolves within 7-10 days. Flu is caused by the influenza virus and usually presents with headaches, myalgia, fever and body aches. There is no place for antibiotic usage in colds and flu and there is no clinical evidence which suggests that using antibiotics alters the course of the disease or prevents secondary infection. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and includes many over-the-counter medicines, antivirals and herbal treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of antimicrobial resistance, where the choice of antibiotics that we have to treat infections is becoming limited, infection control and hospital epidemiology are moving from being the orphan child of antimicrobial stewardship to becoming the necessity we can't live without. The responsibility lies with every healthcare worker to know the what, when and how of infection control as we have to pursue different avenues to not only safeguard the antibiotics we have left but also to maintain a healthy environment for our patients. This article explores issues around infection control and hospital epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) pose a significant burden to the healthcare system annually. A positive impact on, and a reduction, in the mortality rate can be achieved through an understanding of the most common microorganisms that cause these two closely-associated conditions, identifying the associated risk factors and co-morbidities, and making a timely diagnosis. With the correct understanding of these conditions, proper preventative strategies can be implemented and treatment provided according to the severity of the specific condition in question. Better outcomes for infected individuals are likely to result from newer strategies involving novel antibiotics, as well as new approaches to the use of older antibiotics for different purposes. This article provides a general overview of the nature and management of HAP and VAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]