Typical Bacterial Pneumonia

Excerpt

Pneumonia is a common lower respiratory tract infection that results in significant morbidity and is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality globally. Pneumonia can occur at any age, even without risk factors. However, it is more common in children younger than 5, adults older than 75, and those with risk factors such as cigarette smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Worldwide, pneumonia is the second most common cause of death in children younger than 5. In the United States, it is the second most common cause of hospitalization in children and adults. Depending on when and where the patient has acquired the infection, pneumonia can be divided into community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia is defined as pneumonia acquired in the community when there has been no contact with a healthcare setting. With the advent of rapid diagnostic tests, the organisms responsible for community-acquired pneumonia can now be identified faster, appropriate antimicrobial therapy can be administered sooner, or empiric antimicrobials can be de-escalated, thus practising good antimicrobial stewardship. Community-acquired pneumonia can generally be caused by typical bacteria, viruses, and atypical bacteria. These rapid diagnostics have also demonstrated that respiratory viruses play a more significant role in the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia than initially thought. These viruses can be the sole cause or the initial cause of pneumonia, followed by a secondary bacterial infection with a typical bacterium, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Staphylococcus aureus. This activity focuses on typical bacteria, including S. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, S. aureus, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Despite advancements in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pneumonia, including vaccines, newer antimicrobials, and more rapid diagnostics, mortality is still high in older adults, especially those who present with respiratory failure or shock.