Akter et al.

Int J Respir Pulm Med 2015, 2:2

International Journal of ISSN: 2378-3516

Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine

Review Article : Open Access

Community Acquired Pneumonia

Sonia Akter*, Shamsuzzaman and Ferdush Jahan
Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author: Sonia Akter, Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
E-mail: soniaakterkhan83@gmail.com

or residing in a long term care facility for > 14 days before the onset
Abstract of symptoms [4]. Diagnosis depends on isolation of the infective
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is typically caused by organism from sputum and blood. Knowledge of predominant
an infection but there are a number of other causes. The most microbial patterns in CAP constitutes the basis for initial decisions
common type of infectious agents is bacteria such as Streptococcus about empirical antimicrobial treatment [5].
pneumonia. CAP is defined as an acute infection of the pulmonary
parenchyma in a patient who has acquired the infection in the Microbial Pathogens
community. CAP remains a common and potentially serious illness.
It is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality and treatment Strep. pneumoniae accounted for over 80 percent of cases of
cost, particularly in elderly patients. CAP causes problems like community-acquired pneumonia in the era before penicillin [6].
difficulty in breathing, fever, chest pains, and cough. Definitive Strep. pneumoniae is still the single most common defined pathogen
clinical diagnosis should be based on X-ray finding and culture in nearly all studies of hospitalized adults with community-acquired
of lung aspirates. The chest radiograph is considered the” gold
pneumonia [7-9]. Other bacteria commonly encountered in cultures of
standard” for the diagnosis of pneumonia but cannot differentiate
bacterial from non bacterial pneumonia. Diagnosis depends
expectorated sputum are Haem. influenzae, Staph. aureus, and gram-
on isolation of the infective organism from sputum and blood. negative bacilli [10]. Less common agents are Moraxella catarrhalis,
Knowledge of predominant microbial patterns in CAP constitutes Strep. pyogenes, and Neisseria meningitides [11]. Anaerobic bacteria
the basis for initial decisions about empirical antimicrobial treatment. are the dominant pathogens in patients with aspiration pneumonia,
lung abscess, or empyema. Transtracheal-aspiration fluid indicated
Keywords that pneumonitis due to anaerobes cannot be distinguished clinically
Pneumonia, Community acquired pneumonia, Causative agents, from other common forms of bacterial pneumonia. The implications
Clinical features, Diagnosis, Antibiotics, Prevention are that anaerobes probably account for a substantial number of
enigmatic pneumonias and that the diagnostic techniques now in
common use cannot detect them [12,13].
Introduction
Legionella, Mycop. pneumoniae, and Chl. Pneumonia referred to
Pneumonia is defined as an acute respiratory illness associated as the “atypical agents,” collectively account for 10 to 20 percent of all
with recently developed radiological pulmonary shadowing which cases of pneumonia. All show great variations in frequency according
may be segmental, lobar or mutilobar [1]. It occurs about five times to the patient’s age and to temporal and geographic patterns. Legionella
more frequently in the developing world than the developed world is reported in 1 to 5 percent of hospitalized adults with community-
[2]. The incidence of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) range acquired pneumonia but geographic variation is substantial and
from 4 million to 5 million cases per year, with 25% requiring detection is problematic. Culture is probably the best method, but a
hospitalization [3]. The problem is much greater in the developing survey showed that 32 percent were unable to grow legionella even
countries where pneumonia is the most common cause of hospital from pure cultures, measurement of antigenuria is sensitive and easy,
attendance in adults. Pneumonia are usually classified as community but it is limited to L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (70 to 90 percent
acquired pneumonia, hospital acquired pneumonia or those of cases), and direct fluorescent-antibody staining of sputum often
occurring in immunocompromised host or patient with underlying considered unreliable for species other than L. pneumophila [14]. The
damaged lung including suppurative and aspiration pneumonia [1]. frequency of infection with Mycop. pneumoniae among hospitalized
adults with community-acquired pneumonia ranges from 1 percent
The Disease to 8 percent, and it is much higher for young adults who are treated
Community acquired pneumonia is commonly defined as an as outpatients. Diagnostic procedures include serologic tests, culture,
acute infection of the pulmonary parenchyma that is associated with and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) [15]. Chl. pneumoniae
at least some symptoms of acute infection and is accompanied by the reportedly accounts for 5 to 10 percent of cases of community-
presence of an acute infiltrate on a chest radiograph or auscultatory acquired pneumonia. Diagnosis of this agent can be done by serologic
findings consistent with pneumonia (such as altered breath sounds testing, culture and by PCR [16].
and/or localized rales) and occurs in a patient who is not hospitalized
Viral agents account for 2 to 15 percent of cases, most commonly

Citation: Akter S, Shamsuzzaman, Jahan F (2015) Community Acquired Pneumonia Int

J Respir Pulm Med 2:016
ClinMed Received: March 03, 2015: Accepted: March 18, 2015: Published: March 21, 2015
Copyright: © 2015 Akter S. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of
International Library the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
influenza virus and, less commonly, parainfluenza virus and area of consolidation on chest x-ray makes the diagnosis, but x-ray
adenovirus. P. carinii is not included in most reviews of community- is a poor guide to the likely pathogen. Other causes of a new lung
acquired pneumonia, Mycob. tuberculosis usually accounts for 1 to 2 infiltrate on chest x-ray include atelectasis, non-infective pneumonitis,
percent of cases; its detection is obviously important because of the haemorrhage and cardiac failure. Occasionally, the chest x-ray
need both to provide effective therapy and to protect the public health initially appears normal (eg, in the first few hours of S. pneumoniae
[15]. pneumonia and early in HIV related P. jiroveci pneumonia).

Symptoms Sputum microscopy and culture

Several symptoms of acute lower respiratory tract infection There is debate about the value of sputum samples in diagnosis
may be present, including fever or hyperthermia, rigors, sweats, of CAP. Oral flora rather than the offending pathogen may dominate
new cough with or without sputum production or change in the a sputum Gram stain and culture. Nevertheless, we believe that an
color of respiratory secretions in a patient with chronic cough, chest attempt should be made to obtain a sputum sample before beginning
discomfort or the onset of dyspnoea [4]. Most patients also have antibiotic therapy, as this is sometimes the best opportunity to
nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, myalgias, abdominal pain, identify pathogens that need special treatment.
anorexia, and headache. Hospital acquired pneumonia refers to a new
Blood chemistry and haematology
episode of pneumonia occurring at least two days after admission to
hospital. It is the second most common hospital acquired infection All patients with CAP being assessed in emergency departments
and the leading cause of hospital acquired infection associated death or admitted to hospital should have oximetry, measurement of serum
[1]. electrolytes and urea levels, and a full blood count to assist in assessing
severity. Blood gas measurement is also recommended, as it provides
Many patients who satisfy these criteria do not have pneumonia
prognostic information (pH and Pao2) and may identify patients with
and failure to distinguish pneumonia from acute bronchitis is an
ventilatory failure or chronic hypercapnia (Paco2). If the patient has
important reason for overuse of antibiotics. Furthermore, CAP can
known or suspected diabetes mellitus, measurement of blood glucose
present with fever without localizing features, and some patients
also assists in assessing severity.
may have no fever (elderly patients may present only with a sudden
change in functional status) [17]. Blood culture
Thus, if pneumonia is being considered, a chest x-ray is needed. Blood cultures are the most specific diagnostic test for the
No set of decision rules is as yet superior to clinical judgement when causative organism, but are positive in only around 10% of patients
deciding whom to x-ray. Physical signs of consolidation are suggestive admitted to hospital with CAP. The more severe the pneumonia, the
but are often not found at presentation. Nevertheless, some clinical more likely blood cultures are to be positive. We recommend that
signs, such as confusion, should be specifically noted because of their blood be cultured from all patients, except those well enough to be
prognostic value [15]. managed at home with oral antibiotics [17].
Risk Group Other investigations
Factors that increase risk of community acquired pneumonia Serological diagnosis requires acute and convalescent serum
are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, heart failure, samples and is therefore not useful in acute management of CAP.
immunosuppression, age over 50, asthma, alcoholism, indigenous Some laboratories offer acute serodiagnosis for M. pneumoniae, but
background institutionalisation, seizure disorders, smoking, stroke [17]. these tests may lack specificity. Even after extensive investigations,
Factors that predict increased risk of death from community the microbial cause of CAP is revealed in only about half of all
acquired pneumonia are hypothermia (temperature 37°C), patients. The most promising are rapid screens that can be performed
hypotension (systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg), existing on throat swabs, using polymerase chain reaction [4,19].
neurological disease, more than one lobe involved on chest x-ray, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
tachypnoea (respiratory rate 20 per min), existing neoplastic disease,
leukopenia, confusion, diabetes mellitus, male sex, other factors such Use of PCR in the field of molecular diagnostics has increased
as bacteraemia, specific causative organisms such as Pseudomonas to the point where it is now accepted as the standard method for
aeruginosa, Other gram-negative rods (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella detecting nucleic acid from a number of sample and microbial types
spp.), Staphylococcus aureus and Legionella pneumophila [15,17]. [20].

Pathophysiology of Community Acquired Pneumonia Treatment

CAP is a common illness and can affect people of all ages. CAP is Therapeutic decisions are greatly simplified if the infecting
usually spread by droplet infection and most cases occurs previously pathogen is known. In general, tests that provide immediate
healthy individual. Several factors can impair the effectiveness of local information are desirable such as Gram’s staining with or without the
quellung test, staining for acid-fast bacilli, direct fluorescent-antibody
defenses and predispose to CAP. Once the organism settles in the
tests for legionella, or PCR for Mycop. pneumoniae, Chl. pneumoniae,
alveoli, an inflammatory response ensues. The classical pathological
and Mycob. Tuberculosis [21]. In the absence of guidance from the
response evolves through the phases of congestion, red and grey
results of rapid diagnostic tests, recent guidelines for empirical
hepatisation and finally resolution with little or no scarring [1].
decision making are available from the British Thoracic Society and
In pneumonia, the lungs become filled with pus, and this makes the American Thoracic Society. These two groups reviewed similar
them stiff. So the patient breathes fast with stiff lungs. As pneumonia data and recommended quite different regimens. The conclusion
become worse, the lungs become even stiffer and they do not expand of the British Thoracic Society was that empirical therapy should
properly. Severe pneumonia has a lot of pus in their lungs, so their always cover Strep. pneumoniae. The preferred regimen is penicillin
lungs are very stiff. The sign on which estimation of severity of ALRI or amoxicillin; erythromycin should be given if legionella or Mycop.
is also depend on mediator of inflammation known as acute phase pneumonia is specifically suspected and antibiotics directed against
response [1,18]. Staph. aureus should be considered during epidemics of influenza.
The American Thoracic Society recommended the use of macrolides,
Laboratory Diagnosis second- and third-generation cephalosporins, trimethoprim–
sulfamethoxazole, and beta-lactam–beta-lactamase inhibitors. Agents
Chest x-ray
active against legionella, Mycop. pneumoniae, and Chl. pneumoniae
This is the cardinal investigation. In the appropriate setting, a new include new macrolides (clarithromycin and azithromycin), which

Akter et al. Int J Respir Pulm Med 2015, 2:2 ISSN: 2378-3516 • Page 2 of 5 •
are more expensive than erythromycin but better tolerated and • Doxycycline 100mg PO bid
more active against Haem. Influenzae [22]. About 30 percent of the
• If received prior antibiotic within 3 months:
strains of Haem. influenzae produce beta-lactamase and are resistant
to ampicillin; most are susceptible to cephalosporins, doxycycline, • Azithromycin or clarithromycin plus amoxicillin 1g PO q8h
and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole. Fluoroquinolones are effective or amoxicillin-clavulanate 2g PO q12h or
against atypical agents and Haem. Influenzae.
• Respiratory fluoroquinolone (eg, levofloxacin 750mg PO
The prevalence of penicillin-resistant Strep. pneumoniae, which daily or moxifloxacin 400mg PO daily)
accounts for over 25 percent of pneumococcal isolates in some
• Comorbidities present (eg, alcoholism, bronchiectasis/
areas of the United States and for higher rates in other areas of the
cystic fibrosis, COPD, IV drug user, post influenza, asplenia,
world [23-25]. Alternative drugs are limited because of resistance to
diabetes mellitus, lung/liver/renal diseases):
trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, macrolides, and cephalosporins.
Most strains have intermediate resistance to penicillin, and • Levofloxacin 750mg PO q24h or
uncomplicated pneumonia caused by these strains may be treated with
• Moxifloxacin 400mg PO q24h or
high doses of penicillin or selected cephalosporins, such as cefaclor
or cefotaxime [24]. Mortality due to pneumococcal pneumonia Combination of a beta-lactam (amoxicillin 1g PO q8h or
involving resistant strains is similar to that for pneumonia involving amoxicillin-clavulanate 2g PO q12h or ceftriaxone 1g IV/IM q24h
sensitive strains, even when the treatment includes penicillins or or cefuroxime 500mg PO BID) plus a macrolide (azithromycin or
cephalosporins [25]. clarithromycin)
Most patients with no bacteriologic diagnosis have infections Duration of therapy: minimum of 5 days, should be afebrile for
involving atypical agents such as legionella species, Mycop. 48-72 hours, or until afebrile for 3 days; longer duration of therapy
pneumoniae, or Chl. pneumoniae. This assumption accounts for may be needed if initial therapy was not active against the identified
the frequent use of macrolides for pneumonia, although studies in pathogen or if it was complicated by extrapulmonary infections.
outpatients show that macrolides and beta-lactam agents are equally Inpatient, non-ICU:
effective in adult outpatients with pneumonia [26]. Legionella is
an important pulmonary pathogen that requires treatment with • Levofloxacin 750mg IV or PO q24h or
a macrolide or fluoroquinolone, and applies only to hospitalized • Moxifloxacin 400mg IV or PO q24h or
patients [27].
• Combination of a beta-lactam (ceftriaxone 1g IV q24h or
Adults with community-acquired pneumonia should receive cefotaxime 1g IV q8h or ertapenem 1g IV daily or ceftaroline
treatment with antibiotic agents selected according to the results 600mg IV q12h) plus azithromycin 500mg IV q24h
of microbiologic studies of sputum and blood cultures. For young
adults treated as outpatients, the oral administration of a macrolide • Duration of therapy: minimum of 5 days, should be afebrile for
(erythromycin, clarithromycin, or azithromycin) or doxycycline; 48-72 hours, stable blood pressure, adequate oral intake, and
for patients older than 25, oral amoxicillin or an oral cephalosporin room air oxygen saturation of greater than 90%; longer duration
is also acceptable. For adults over 60 and those with coexisting may be needed in some cases.
illnesses who are treated as outpatients: oral cephalosporin or Inpatient, ICU:
amoxicillin; for patients with penicillin allergy, oral macrolide or
doxycycline. For hospitalized patients: Second- or third-generation Severe COPD:
cephalosporin (cefuroxime, cefotaxime, or ceftriaxone) with or • Levofloxacin 750mg IV or PO q24h or
without erythromycin, given parenterally; parenteral therapy should
continue until the patient has been afebrile for more than 24 hours • Moxifloxacin 400mg IV or PO q24h or
and oxygen saturation exceeds 95 percent [28]. • Ceftriaxone 1g IV q24h or ertapenem 1g IV q24h plus
Several medical-specialty professional societies have suggested azithromycin 500mg IV q24h
that combination therapy with a β-lactam plus a macrolide or If gram-negative rod pneumonia (Pseudomonas) suspected, due
doxycycline or monotherapy with a “respiratory quinolone” (i.e., to alcoholism with necrotizing pneumoniae, chronic bronchiectasis/
levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, or gemifloxacin) are optimal tracheobronchitis due to cystic fibrosis, mechanical ventilation,
first-line therapy for patients hospitalized with community-acquired febrile neutropenia with pulmonary infiltrate, septic shock with
pneumonia [29]. Combination antibiotic therapy achieves a better organ failure:
outcome compared with monotherapy, and it should be given in the
following subset of patients with CAP: outpatients with comorbidities • Piperacillin-tazobactam 4.5g IV q6h or 3.375g IV q4h or 4-h
and previous antibiotic therapy, nursing home patients with CAP, infusion of 3.375g q8h or
hospitalized patients with severe CAP, bacteremic pneumococcal • Cefepime 2g IV q12h or
CAP, presence of shock, and necessity of mechanical ventilation [30].
• Imipenem/cilastatin 500mg IV q6h or meropenem 1 g IV q8h or
Empiric therapeutic regimens for CAP are outlined below,
including those for outpatients with or without comorbidities, • If penicillin allergic, substitute aztreonam 2g IV q6h plus
intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients, and penicillin- • Levofloxacin 750mg IV q24h or
allergic patients [31].
• Moxifloxacin 400mg IV or PO q24h or
Outpatient:
• Aminoglycoside (gentamicin 7mg/kg/day IV or tobramycin 7mg/
• No comorbidities/previously healthy; no risk factors for kg/day IV)
drug-resistant S pneumoniae:
• Add azithromycin 500mg IV q24h if respiratory fluoroquinolone
• Azithromycin 500mg PO one dose, then 250mg PO daily for not used
4 d or extended-release 2g PO as a single dose
Duration of therapy: 10-14 days
or
If concomitant with or post influenza:
• Clarithromycin 500mg PO bid or extended-release 1000mg
PO q24h or • Vancomycin 15mg/kg IV q12h or linezolid 600 mg IV bid plus

Akter et al. Int J Respir Pulm Med 2015, 2:2 ISSN: 2378-3516 • Page 3 of 5 •
• Levofloxacin 750mg IV q24h or who do not have a spleen. A repeat vaccination may also be required
after five or ten years [35].
• Moxifloxacin 400mg IV or PO q24h
Influenza vaccines should be given yearly to the same individuals
• If received prior antibiotic within 3 months:
as receive vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae. In addition,
• High-dose ampicillin 2g IV q6h (or penicillin G, if not resistant); health care workers, nursing home residents, and pregnant women
if penicillin allergic, substitute with vancomycin 1g IV q12h plus should receive the vaccine. When an influenza outbreak is occurring,
medications such as amantadine, remantadine, zanamivir and
• Azithromycin 500mg IV q24h plus oseltamivir have been shown to prevent causes of influenza [36].
• Levofloxacin 750mg IV q24h or moxifloxacin 400mg IV/PO q24h
Conclusion
• Risk of aspiration pneumonia/anaerobic lung infection/lung
abscess: Prevention of pneumonia is obviously an important goal.
Infection with influenza is a critical factor, especially in elderly
• Clindamycin 300-450mg PO q8h or patients who constitute the adult population group with the highest
• Ampicillin-sulbactam 3g IV q6h or attack rate for community-acquired pneumonia and the group with
the highest mortality due to the disease. Strep. pneumoniae continues
• Ertapenem 1g IV q24h or to be the most common bacterial pathogen in most of the studies of
pneumonia and has aroused concern because of the dramatic increase
• Ceftriaxone 1g IV q24h plus metronidazole 500mg IV q6h or
in the rates of resistance to antibacterial agents among isolates. So, we
• Moxifloxacin 400mg IV or PO q24h or should concern about the current guidelines for the judicious use of
antimicrobial agents.
• Piperacillin-tazobactam 3.375g IV q6h or
• If methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) is suspected, add
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