Hospital-acquired pneumonia: diagnostic strategies: lessons from clinical trials

Abstract

It should be emphasized that, for the management of VAP, like for all infectious diseases, the choice of antimicrobial treatment is much easier when the specific etiologic agents are identified by a reliable diagnostic technique. Before new antibiotics are administered, reliable pulmonary specimens (chosen according to the literature and within the capabilities of the local microbiology laboratory) must be obtained for direct examination and cultures from patients clinically suspected of having developed VAP.