title: Incidence of community-acquired pneumonia caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae in Italian patients.
abstract: The incidence of Chlamydia pneumoniae as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia was evaluated in a one-year prospective study in 108 patients with community-acquired pneumonia. The bacteriological diagnosis was based on culture of sputum or bronchial aspirate and examination of acute and convalescent phase sera for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila and Chlamydia pneumoniae. A definitive microbiological diagnosis was obtained in 58 (54%) patients. Chlamydia pneumoniae was the causative agent in 14 patients (13%) on the basis of positive serological tests; in 10 of the 14 patients Chlamydia pneumoniae was also detected by means of an indirect immunofluorescence test using pharyngeal swab specimens. In conclusion, Chlamydia pneumoniae seems to be a common etiological agent of community-acquired pneumonia, as increasingly reported in the last six to seven years.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Tisiologia e Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Università degli Studi di Milano, Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cosentini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Legnani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Denti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allegra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000453:epidemiology; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial