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Pneumonia in immunocompromised host - Treatment

Alternative Names

Pneumonia in immunodeficient patient

Treatment:

Antibiotics or antifungal medicines are used, depending on the type of germ that is causing the infection. Patients usually must stay in the hospital, at least during the early stages of the illness.

Oxygen and respiratory treatments to remove fluid and mucus are often needed.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome may be poor if the pneumonia is caused by a virus or fungus, or if the patient is severely immunosuppressed.

Complications:

Respiratory failure
Sepsis
Spread of the infection
Death

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you are immunosuppressed and you have symptoms of pneumonia.

Reviewed last on: 9/17/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Moran GJ, Talan DA. Pneumonia. In: Marx J, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2006: chap 75.

Baldwin Dr, Macfarlane JT. Community-acquired pneumonia. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, eds. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2004: chap 34.

Donowitz GR, Mandell GL. Acute pneumonia. In: Mandell GL, Bennett Je, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005: chap 61.

Mandell LA, Wunderink RG, Anzueto A, et al. Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society consensus guidelines on the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Mar 1;44 Suppl 2:S27-72.

American Thoracic Society. Guidelines for the management of adults with hospital-acquired, ventilator-associated, and healthcare-associated pneumonia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005 Feb 15;171(4):388-416.

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