Guidelines
Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)

Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)

Clinical/Diagnostic Considerations

Clinical criteria:

  • New respiratory symptoms (cough, chest pain, dyspnea)
  • Fever (by history or measured)
  • Predictive factors for Mycoplasma are age >5 years, fever >6 days, and respiratory symptoms >6 days, family members with respiratory symptoms

Diagnostic recommendations:

  • Should have chest radiograph showing new infiltrate or consolidation
  • Blood cultures recommended if hospitalization
  • Consider rapid testing for influenza during influenza season
  • See references below