Community-acquired and hospital-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and nosocomial pneumonia (hospital-acquired pneumonia HAP) are common infectious diseases that are associated with a high morbidity and mortality. The most common CAP pathogens are pneumococci, followed by influenza A and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The mortality of patients with CAP in the outpatient setting is low (1-2 %) but increases in hospitalized patients to 10-20 % and can reach 50 % in intermediate or intensive care settings. In HAP the most commonly detected pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and in uncomplicated cases also pneumococci are found. In a significant proportion of patients multiresistant organisms are also found. Treatment for both types of pneumonia is stratified depending on the severity of clinical symptoms and the range of pathogens expected.