Summary of when to suspect CA-MRSA in community-acquired pneumonia
| When to suspect CA-MRSA |
| Influenza-like prodrome |
| Severe respiratory symptoms with a rapidly progressive pneumonia evolving to acute respiratory distress syndrome |
| Fever >39°C |
| Haemoptysis |
| Hypotension |
| Leukopenia |
| Chest radiograph showing multilobar infiltrates which may have cavitated |
| Known to be colonised with CA-MRSA or recent travel to an endemic area, such as North America, and recent contact with CA-MRSA |
| Belong to a group associated with increased rates of colonisation of CA-MRSA |
| Previous history or family history of recurrent furuncles or skin abscesses (two or more in past 6 months) |
CA-MRSA: community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Reproduced from 17 with permission from the publisher.