Respiratory tract infections that cause coughing can gradually develop into something very dangerous - in any case, 3-5% of all coughing cases end in pneumonia, says the study's lead author, Professor of family medicine Dan Merenstein from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.

"Not everyone has easy access to an X-ray at the first visit to the doctor, and this may cause the doctor to prescribe antibiotics simply because of persistent cough, without any other evidence of bacterial infection," explains Merenstein. "Unfortunately, this creates an expectation in patients that antibiotics will definitely be prescribed, firstly, and secondly, that they will affect the cough syndrome."

To see if antibiotics have any value in fighting cough, the researchers tracked their use in people with lower respiratory tract infections. 29% of people started antibiotic therapy after a visit to the doctor, but the drugs had no effect on their cough - compared to those who did not receive a prescription. People from both groups also took the same amount of time to finally overcome the infection, regardless of whether they received an antibiotic or not - an average of 17 days.

The researchers note that overuse of antibiotics increases the risk that dangerous bacteria will become resistant to drugs.

Merenstein's work further emphasizes the need to be careful about prescribing antibiotics.

"We know that coughing can be an indicator of a serious problem. This is the most common reason for seeking outpatient treatment related to the disease: cough accounts for about 3 million outpatient visits and more than 4 million emergency department visits annually, says Merenstein. "Serious cough symptoms and how to treat them properly require further investigation, possibly in a randomized clinical trial."