A collection of reagents and other associated materials intended to be used for the qualitative and/or quantitative detection of nucleic acid from one or multiple bacteria associated with respiratory disease in a clinical specimen, using a nucleic acid technique (NAT). Organisms detected may include (but are not limited to) Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila psittaci, C. pneumoniae (Chlamydia pneumoniae), Coxiella burnetii, Legionella pneumophila and/or Bordetella pertussis.