In<unk> ised patients who develop respiratory symptoms and fever, one should consider the diagnosis. The likelihood increases when upon investigation symptoms are found of respiratory insufficiency, purulent secretions, newly developed infiltrate on the chest X-Ray, and increasing leucocyte count. If pneumonia is suspected material from sputum or tracheal aspirates are sent to the microbiology department for cultures. In case of pleural effusion, thoracentesis is performed for examination of pleural fluid. In suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia it has been suggested that bronchoscopy or bronchoalveolar lavage is necessary because of the risks of incorrect clinical diagnoses. Differential diagnosis * Atelectasis * Congestive heart failure * Pulmonary embolism
Hospital-acquired pneumonia
Community-acquired pneumonia
Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Idiopathic pneumonia syndrome
Pneumococcal pneumonia
Bacterial pneumonia
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
Aspiration pneumonia