Case definition of children with lower respiratory tract infections who were classified as viral, bacterial or mixed aetiology (modified from the Bacteria Pneumonia Score (BPS) score).

*Highest temperature documented within 24 hours of admission;
**Signs include tachypnoea, chest recessions, presence of crepitations in the lung;
†Chest radiograph: Abnormality includes presence of infiltrates (interstitial, peribronchial or fluffy), effusion and atelectasis;
‡Positive nasopharyngeal culture: a single bacterial organism was cultured with either a pus: epithelial cell ratio of ≥10∶1 or if there were no epithelial cells with presence of pus cells seen on microscopy [28];
#Positive Mycoplasma result: a single antibody titre ≥1∶320 or a fourfold or greater rise in the antibody titre in paired sera obtained 2–4 weeks apart;
§Positive virology: Positive immunofluorescence or culture for at least one of the following respiratory viruses: respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenzae 1–3 virus, adenovirus, influenza, or metapneumovirus.
Case definition of children with lower respiratory tract infections who were classified as viral, bacterial or mixed aetiology (modified from the Bacteria Pneumonia Score (BPS) score).