Page created on February 9, 2022. Not updated since.
Differential diagnosis of acute cough
| Etiology | Typical features |
| Viral URTI (common cold) | Rhinorrhoea, nasal congestion, fever |
| Pneumonia | Fever, tachypnoea, SOB. Preceded by URTI |
| COVID-19 | Rhinorrhoea, fever, sore throat. Many asymptomatic. |
| Croup | Preceded by URTI, symptoms worsen at night, barking cough, stridor |
| Bronchiolitis | Preceded by or coexistent URTI symptoms, wheezing |
| Foreign body | Unattended small child, choking, onset after playing or eating |
| Pertussis | Paroxysmal, “whooping” cough, vomiting |
| Measles | Rash, fever, coryza, conjunctivitis |
| Tuberculosis | Fever, weight loss, child from low-income country or low socioeconomic status |
Differential diagnosis of chronic cough
| Type of cough | Etiology |
| Dry cough | Recurrent respiratory infection |
| Asthma | |
| Foreign body | |
| RSV | |
| Mycoplasma pneumonia | |
| GERD | |
| Cigarette smoke (passive or active) | |
| Productive cough | Persistent bacterial bronchitis |
| Unresolved pneumonia | |
| Tuberculosis |