Diagnosis of community-acquired acute pneumonia in the emergency room and distinction between viral or bacterial etiology.

ABSTRACT

The current pandemic linked to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 has considerably changed the perception of doctors of the impact of respiratory viruses and their role in community-acquired acute pneumonia (CAP). While more than 25% of CAP in adults were of viral origin, respiratory viruses were often perceived as harmless pathogens. Faced with the challenge that the microbiological documentation of a CAP still represents today, the establishment of empirical antibiotic treatment is often carried out in the emergency room. The COVID-19 pandemic has primarily highlighted the decisive role of molecular biology and chest CT in the diagnostic algorithm of CAP. Indeed, a rapid and reliable diagnosis is the key to improve isolation decisions and reducing the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. Due to significantly different treatments, it is necessary to distinguish the viral etiology from the bacterial of a CAP. Copyright © 2022 Lavoisier. All rights reserved.