Using Precision Medicine for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Viral Pneumonia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn considerable attention to viral pneumonia from clinicians, public health authorities, and the general public. With dozens of viruses able to cause pneumonia in humans, differentiating viral from bacterial pneumonia can be very challenging in clinical practice using traditional diagnostic methods. Precision medicine is a medical model in which decisions, practices, interventions, and therapies are adapted to the individual patient on the basis of their predicted response or risk of disease. Precision medicine approaches hold promise as a way to improve outcomes for patients with viral pneumonia. This review describes the latest advances in the use of precision medicine for diagnosing and treating viral pneumonia in adults and discusses areas where further research is warranted.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diagnosis; Precision medicine; Therapy; Viral pneumonia.

Fig. 1

Components of a precision medicine approach to viral pneumonia. A comprehensive approach to viral pneumonia using precision medicine involves rapid laboratory testing and biomarkers, with the main goal of differentiating bacterial from viral etiologies. Treatment includes effective antiviral medications and anti-inflammatory therapies (e.g., steroids and immunomodulators) that are preferentially prescribed early in the course of illness. Prevention occurs through vaccines and prophylactic antiviral medications, when appropriate. These combine to optimize the care of patients with viral pneumonia by improving outcomes and reducing overall health care costs