ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on community-acquired pneumonia, with illustrative radiology, microbiology, and pathology, and discusses the investigation, diagnosis, and management of community- acquired pneumonia in adults. Community-acquired pneumonia is a common problem both for community and hospital physicians. Most organisms associated with mild pneumonia can also cause severe community-acquired pneumonia. Patients with community-acquired pneumonia and no adverse risk factors have a good prognosis and mortality rates are low. Pleural effusions are common with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia. The effusions are usually sterile but occasionally Streptococcus pneumoniae is cultured from the pleural fluid. The ultrasound scan confirms that there is a pleural effusion and minimal loculation. Aspiration confirmed a complicated parapneumonic effusion. This resolved with antibiotic therapy and removal of the pleural. In patients failing to respond to antibiotics and percutaneous drainage, an ultrasound and/or computed tomography scan of the chest is recommended to determine the extent of the pleural effusion and whether there are loculations.
