The diagnosis of pneumonia is based on suggestive clinical features (cough, fever, sputum production, pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea) AND a new chest x-ray infiltrate
Pneumonia takes several days to develop after an aspiration event
All patients with suspected aspiration pneumonia should have a chest X-ray. Sputum culture should be collected if risk factors for antibiotic resistant organisms are present
Anaerobes unlikely
Majority of cases lacking criteria of classic aspiration pneumonia below.
Anaerobes likely: