The most common atypical pneumonias are caused by three zoonotic pathogens, Chlamydia psittaci (psittacosis), Francisella tularensis (tularemia), and Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), and three nonzoonotic pathogens, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Legionella. These atypical agents, unlike the typical pathogens, often cause extrapulmonary manifestations. Atypical CAPs are systemic i...

Introduction Lower respiratory tract infections are a common problem in general practice. Since its isolation more than 120 years ago, Streptococcus pneumoniae has remained the most common organism responsible for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Historically, S. pneumoniae pneumonia was considered to have a “typical” clinical presentation, with the patient experiencing chills, rigors, cough...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Basic information as well as more recent concepts regarding cryptogenic organizing pneumonia and secondary forms of the disease. RECENT FINDINGS More recently described and less well recognized illnesses associated with organizing pneumonia, such as organizing pneumonia associated with radiation, are enumerated. In vitro studies from separate laboratories are integrated to c...

Serum concentrations of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were studied in pneumonias caused by different pathogens and in cases in which the aetiology could not be defined. In all aetiological groups, except in viral pneumonia, there was a significant increase in ACE during recovery (p less than 0.001). In several patients the lowest values during the acute phase of disease and the highest va...