Bacterial Pneumonia

Abstract Summary Bacterial pneumonia is lung parenchymal inflammation due to infection by a bacterial pathogen and it manifests with infective symptoms including cough productive of purulent sputum, dyspnoea, hypoxia, and pyrexia. This correlates clinically with bronchial breath sounds, radiological evidence of new pulmonary infiltrates, and often raised blood markers of inflammation. Both, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP, infection contracted outside of a hospital setting) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP, an infection developing at least 48 h following hospitalization and not incubating at the time of admission) are accountable for increased morbidity, mortality, and use of healthcare resources worldwide. Here, we discuss the microbiology, current practice, evidence base, as well as the controversies and future directions of the management of CAP and HAP, excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia.