CHLAMYDIA-PNEUMONIAE COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA - A REVIEW OF 62 HOSPITALIZED ADULT PATIENTS

In a prospective study, Chlamydia pneumoniae was identified as the eti ological agent in 62 (17.9%) of 346 adult patients hospitalized over t he course of one year for community-acquired pneumonia at the Soroka M edical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel, The diagnosis of C. pneumoniae in fection was based on serological testing of antibodies by the MIF tech nique. In 43 of these patients (69.4%), at least one other etiological agent, in addition to C, pneumoniae for community-acquired pneumonia was identified. Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in 34 patients with C. pneumoniae (54.8%), as an additional causative factor in infe ction. Community-acquired pneumonia patients with C. pneumoniae were s ignificantly older than non-C. pneumoniae patients (p=0.03), had a hig her APACHE II score on admission (p<0.05), a higher rate of positive b lood cultures (p=0.02), and longer periods of hospitalization (p=0.022 ). Seven patients with pure C. pneumoniae infection recovered, despite treatment which is not considered to be specific for C. pneumoniae. I t was concluded that C. pneumoniae is a common etiological agent for c ommunity-acquired pneumonia in our region, particularly in the elderly , and is characterized by a high rate of concomitant infections with o ther pulmonary pathogens. No specific clinical or radiological pattern was discerned that could distinguish between C. pneumoniae community- acquired pneumonia and non-C. pneumoniae community-acquired pneumonia.