title: Blood cultures not helpful for community-acquired pneumonia.
abstract: Blood cultures rarely contribute to the management of uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia. A positive blood culture has no relation to the severity of the illness or to patient outcomes. Physicians should order blood cultures only for those patients with severe illness and for those in whom initial therapy fails.
authors.affiliation: Moses Cone Family Practice Residency, Greensboro, NC, USA. dlpriebe@hotmail.com
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Priebe
authors.forename: M Lee
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chambliss