| Summary: | INTRODUCTION: The upper respiratory tract is the airways over the larynx. Infections can be viral or bacterial, acute or chronic. The literature was systematically reviewed and the studies investigating the prevalence of bacterial agents causing to Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) were examined by meta-analysis method.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was designed and conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Using various search database, studies published from 1989 to 2017 were identified and a total of 19 studies were included. IBM SPSS 24 program was used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: It was determined that S. pyogenes as the highest prevalence rate 1989-1994 and 1995-2000 and, that S. pneumoniae between 2001-2006 and, that H. influenzae as 57.5% with the highest prevalence rate between 2007-2017 period.
CONCLUSION: Since the methods used for bacterial identification differ in each study, there are significant differences in the frequency of URTI agents. Future studies should provide data not only outpatients but also hospitalised patients. This kind data will assist in designing reliable guidelines for empirical treatment in URTI.
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