Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Emerging pathogens in nosocomial pneumonia

  • Current Topic: Editorial
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The organisms responsible for nosocomial pneumonia are continuously evolving. Gramnegative bacilli have become the most common etiologic agents over the past 20 years, and with this evolution has come a better understanding of the pathogenesis of gram-negative bacillary pneumonia. Some gram-positive cocci, such as enterococci, group B beta hemolytic streptococci and methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, haven taken on new significance in nosocomial respiratory infections.Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeableHaemophilus influenzae andBranhamella catarrhalis are increasingly reported in hospitalized patients with chronic lung disease. Etiologic agents will change as new antibiotics are introduced. A better understanding of etiologic agents and their pathogens may be the best tool toward preventing hospital-acquired pneumonia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Baehr, G., Schwartzman, G., Greenspan, E. B. The role of Bacillus Friedlander in infections. Transaction of the Association of America Physicians 1933, 48: 353–354.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kreger, B. E., Craven, D. E., Carling, P. C., McCabe, W. R. Gram-negative bacteremia. III: Reassessment of etiology, epidemiology and ecology in 612 patients. American Journal of Medicine 1980, 68: 332–355.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Gross, P. A., Neu, H. C., Aswapokee, P., Antwerpen, C. V., Aswapokee, N. Deaths from nosocomial infection: experience in a university and community hospital. American Journal of Medicine 1980, 68: 219–223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Karnad, A., Alvarez, S., Berk, S. L. Pneumonia caused by gram-negative bacilli. American Journal of Medicine 1985, 79, Supplement 1A: 61–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Centers for Disease Control Nosocomial infection surveillance: 1983, CDC surveillance summaries. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1984, 33, Supplement: 9–21.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bryan, C. S., Reynolds, K. L. Bacteremic nosocomial pneumonia analysis of 172 episodes from a single metropolitan area. American Review of Respiratory Disease 1984, 129: 668–671.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Valdviesso, M., Gil-Extremera, B., Zomova, J., Rodrigues, V., Bodey, G. Gram-negative bacillary pneumonia in the compromised host. Medicine 1977, 56: 241–253.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Verghese, A., Berk, S. L. Bacterial pneumonia in the elderly. Medicine 1983, 62: 271–285.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pierce, A. K., Sanford, J. P. State of the art aerobic gram-negative bacillary pneumonias. American Review of Respiratory Disease 1974, 110: 647–658.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Abraham, S. N., Beache, E. H., Simpson, W. A. Adherence ofStreptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli andPseudomonas aeruginosa to fibronectin coated and uncoated epithelial cells. Infection and Immunity 1983, 41: 1261–1268.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Louria, D. B., Kaminski, T. The effects of four anti-microbial drug regimens on sputum superinfection in hospitalized patients. American Review of Respiratory Disease 1982, 85: 649–685.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ramphal, R., Sadoff, J. C., Pyle, M., Silpigni, J. D. Role of pili in the adherence ofPseudomonas aeruginosa to tracked epithelium. Infection and Immunity 1984, 44: 38–40.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Craven, D. E., Driks, M. R. Nosocomial pneumonia in the intubated patient. Seminars in Respiratory Infection 1987, 2: 20–33.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Phair, J. P., Bassaris, H. P., Williams, J. E., Metzger, E. Bacteremic pneumonia due to gram-negative bacilli. Archives of Internal Medicine 1983, 143: 2147–2149.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. McCabe, W. R., Jackson, G. G. Gram-negative bacteremia. II: Clinical laboratory and therapeutic observation. Archives of Internal Medicine 1982, 110: 856–864.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Smittie, W. G., Warnock, G. H., White, H. J. A study of a type I pneumococcus epidemic at the State Hospital at Worcester, Massachusetts. American Journal of Public Health 1938, 28: 293–302.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Smittie, W. G. A study of an outbreak of type II pneumococcus pneumonia in the Veterans Administration Hospital at Bedford., Massachusetts. American Journal of Hygiene 1936, 24: 522–535.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Berk, S. L., Gage, K. A., Holtsclaw-Berk, S. A., Smith, J. K. Type 8 pneumococcal pneumonia: an outbreak on an oncology ward. Southern Medical Journal 1985, 78: 159–161.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Alvarez, S. A., Guarderas, J., Shell, C. G., Holtsclaw-Berk, S., Berk, S. L. Nosocomial pneumococcal bacteremia. Archives of Internal Medicine 1986, 146: 1509–1512.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Mylotte, J. M., Beam, T. R. Comparison of community acquired and nosocomial pneumococcal bacteremia. American Review of Respiratory Disease 1981, 123: 265–268.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Berk, S. L., Wiener, S. L., Eisner, L. B., Duncan, J. W., Smith, J. K. MixedStreptococcus pneumoniae and gram-negative bacillary pneumonia in the elderly. Southern Medical Journal 1981, 74: 144–146.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Berk, S. L., Verghese, A., Holtsclaw, S. A., Smith, J. K. Enterococcal pneumonia. Occurrence in patients receiving broad-spectrum antibiotic regimens and enteral feeding. American Journal of Medicine 1983, 74: 153–154.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Verghese, A., Berk, S. L., Boelen, L., Smith, J. K. Group B streptococcal pneumonia in the elderly. Archives of Internal Medicine 1982, 142: 1642–1645.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ekenna, O., Verghese, A., Karnad, A., Basil, P., Berk, S. L. Isolation of beta hemolytic streptococci from the respiratory tract. American Journal of the Medical Sciences 1988, 295: 94–101.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Alvarez, S., Shell, C. G., Woolley, T. W., Berk, S. L., Smith, J. K. Nosocomial infections in long-term facilities. Journal of Gerontology 1988, 43: M9-M17.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Patterson, T. F., Patterson, J. E., Maseccar, B. L., Barden, G. E., Hierholzer, W. J., Zervox, M. J. A nosocomial outbreak ofBranhamella catarrhalis confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1988, 157: 996–1001.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hager, H., Verghese, A., Alvarez, S., Berk, S. L. Branhamella catarrhalis respiratory infections. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1987, 9: 1140–1148.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Kirby, B. D., Snyder, K. M., Meyer, R. D., Finegold, S. M.: Legionnaires disease: report of sixty-five nosocomially acquired cases and review of the literature. Medicine 1980, 188–202.

  29. Fick, R. B., Reynolds, H. Y. Changing spectrum of of pneumonia—news media creation or clinical reality? American Journal of Medicine 1983, 74: 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Scott, W. W. Bloodstream infections in urology. Journal of Urology 1929, 21: 527–566.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal medicine, East Tennessee State University, College of Medicine, PO Box 21160A, 37614, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA

    S. L. Berk & A. Verghese

Authors
  1. S. L. Berk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Verghese
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Berk, S.L., Verghese, A. Emerging pathogens in nosocomial pneumonia. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 8, 11–14 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964113

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964113

Search

Navigation