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.
Cunha
B A
BA
Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, NY 11501.
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