Community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common inflammatory process contained within the lungs in response to infection with non-hospital pathogens. Full resolution usually occurs with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. A significant proportion of patients develop severe CAP where there is failure to contain the local immune response and these patients may require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). The CURB-65 severity score is a rapid, objective way of predicting mortality and can be used to guide site of care decisions in conjunction with clinical assessment. Microbiological investigations permit pathogen-specific antibiotic therapy and provide epidemiological data. Appropriate and timely administration of antibiotics is the mainstay of treatment. Complications include empyema, treatment failure, sepsis, respiratory failure and death.