Atypical pneumonias. Clinical diagnosis and empirical treatment.
Atypical pathogens play an important role in the pathogenesis of community-acquired pneumonias. Early definitive diagnosis is often difficult. Careful attention must be given to the patient's history and other diagnostic clues. When a specific pathogen seems very likely to be the cause, appropriate and cost-effective empirical therapy is best accomplished with a single-drug regimen. However, when typical and atypical pathogens are suspected, combination drug therapy is preferred until the diagnosis is firm and one of the two antibiotics can be dropped.
Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501.
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Cunha
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents