title: Microbiological investigations.
abstract: Causative diagnosis of pneumonia is problematic. The lack of a reliable gold standard for diagnosis has also made the development of new diagnostic methods for different microbes causing pneumonia difficult. Serologic methods are continuously used in the diagnosis of pneumonia caused by viruses and atypical bacteria. However, rapid diagnostic methods are urgently needed to guide clinicians to choose proper antibiotic treatment because resistant bacteria are emerging in different parts of the world.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Respiratory Bacterial Infection, Department in Oulu, National Public Health Institute, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leinonen
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis