Table 4– Aetiology and diagnostic methods
IsolatesBlood cultureSputum cultureUrinary antigenBAL/BASPleural effusion cultureNasopharyngeal swabSerology
Patients n188362193532312112120
Typical80 (42.6)
Streptococcus pneumoniae66 (35.1)16 (4.41)26 (13.5)34 (6.4)1 (33.3)3 (25.0)NANA
Streptococcus viridans2 (1.1)1 (0.27)NA2 (16.6)NANA
Staphylococcus aureus1 (0.5)1 (0.5)NANANA
Haemophilus influenzae9 (4.8)2 (0.55)9 (4.7)NANANA
Escherichia coli1 (0.5)1 (0.27)NANANA
Pseudomonas aeruginosa1 (0.5)1 (0.27)1 (0.5)NANANA
Atypical63 (33.5)
Mycoplasma pneumoniae29 (15.4)NANANANANANA29 (24.1)
Coxiella burnetii11 (5.9)NANANANANANA11 (9.2)
Chlamydophila pneumoniae10 (5.3)NANANANANANA10 (8.3)
Legionella pneumophila13 (6.9)NANA13 (2.4)NANANA4 (3.3)
Respiratory viruses25 (13.3)NANA
 Influenza virus A14 (7.4)NANANANANA10 (8.9)4 (3.3)
 Rhinovirus6 (24.0)NANANANANA6 (5.3)
 Influenza virus2 (1.1)NANANANANA2 (1.8)
 Adenovirus1 (0.5)NANANANANA1 (0.9)
 Respiratory syncytial virus1 (0.5)NANANANANA1 (0.8)
 Parainfluenza virus 21 (0.5)NANANANANA1 (0.8)
Mixed17 (9.0)
S. pneumoniae + influenza virus A9 (52.9)1 (0.5)8 (1.5)9 (8.0)
S. pneumoniae + rhinovirus1 (5.8)1 (0.2)1 (0.9)
H. influenzae + influenza virus A2 (11.7)2 (1.0)2 (1.8)
S. pneumoniae + P. aeruginosa1 (5.8)1 (0.5 )1 (0.2 )
L. pneumophila + rhinovirus1 (5.8)1 (0.2)1 (0.9)
S. pneumoniae + H. influenzae2 (11.7)2 (3.2)2 (0.4)
S. pneumoniae + adenovirus1 (5.8)1 (0.2)1 (0.9)
 Others3 (1.6)3 (1.5)
  • Data are presented as n (%), unless otherwise stated. BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage; BAS: broncho-aspirate; NA: not applicable.