Pathogen-specific pneumonia

Epidemiology

• One of the most common causes of atypical pneumonia

• More common in school-aged children and adolescents

• Outbreaks most commonly occur in schools, colleges, prisons, and military facilities.

Clinical features

• Generalized papular rash

• Erythema multiforme

• See “Atypical pneumonia”.

Diagnostics

• Subclinical hemolytic anemia: associated with elevated cold agglutinin titers (IgM)

• Interstitial pneumonia, often with a reticulonodular pattern on chest x-ray

• Chest x-ray can show extensive pulmonary involvement in patients with mild pneumonia.

Treatment

• A macrolide, doxycycline, or fluoroquinolones

• Beta-lactam antibiotics are not effective

Legionnaire disease

Pneumocystis pneumonia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa: causes VAP

Tuberculosis

Primary influenza pneumonia

Various viral infections (e.g., respiratory syncytial virus, hantavirus, adenovirus, CMV, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2)

Ornithosis