Document type
ArticleVersion
Published versionPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/145360
Polymicrobial community-acquired pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation: A case series
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Related resource
Abstract
Polymicrobial pneumonia may cause by combinations of respiratory viruses and bacteria
in a host. Colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae was associated with increased risk
of Intensive Care Unit admission or death in the setting of influenza infection whereas the
colonization by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus coinfection was associated with
severe disease and death in adults and children. The principal association of pathogens
in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is bacteria and viral coinfection and accounts
approximately on 39% of microbiological diagnosed cases of CAP. The emergency of
influenza virus H1N1 in 2009 caused the first pandemic in more than 40 years. Several studies
found bacterial coinfection in a quarter and one-half of influenza infections, the pathogens
more frequent isolates were S. pneumoniae and S. aureus mixed pneumonia in all patient
groups. The high rate of viral bacterial infection in CAP, should suggest the consideration
of new treatments, also during influenza season, the rapid detection of influenza virus
(A or B) may allow physician the effective use of neuraminidase inhibitors within 36-48 h of
symptoms onset, reducing the complication of secondary bacterial infection. On the other
hand, prevention of mixed infection by influenza and pneumococcal vaccine should be
addressed. The differential clinical diagnosis between a viral and a bacterial CAP is not easy:
No clinical signs or radiological findings help the clinician to suspicious the diagnosis. In this
case series, we report five different cases of severe polymicrobial CAP: All of them required
mechanical ventilation: Invasive the first two and noninvasive ventilation the last three cases.
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
PIRODDI, Ines Maria Grazia, et al. Polymicrobial community-acquired pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation: A case series. Community Acquired Pneumonia. 2015. Vol. 2, num. 3, pags. 97-102. [consulted: 18 of August of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/145360