Pneumonia in immunocompromised patients.
The diagnosis and identification of causative microorganisms of pneumonia are often difficult in immunocompromised patients. Immunosuppression can divided into three categories; neutropenia (or neutrophil dysfunction); humoral immunodeficiency and cellular immunodeficiency. Presumptive pathogen identifications of pneumonia could be made systematically based on the type of impaired immune function. Since there are a number of diseases that must be differentiated, the collection of respiratory tract specimens and appropriate serum antigen tests should be done whenever possible to identify the causative microorganisms. Empirical antibiotic therapy should be started as soon as possible. If initial treatment proves ineffective, invasive diagnostic procedures, including surgical lung biopsy, should be considered.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D007564:Japan; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents