Bacterial pneumonia history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Arooj Naz
Overview
History
It is important for health care providers to assess a patient's risk factors, including comorbidities and any conditions that may provide further information regarding the underlying cause of pneumonia. Affected individuals should be asked about:
- Duration of symptoms
- Presence of cough; If productive, details about the amount, colour, and presence of blood should be sought
- Details pertaining to fever including temperature, duration, pattern, and the presence or absence of any chills
- Associated chest pain
It may also be helpful to inquire about certain exposures:
- Exposure to air-conditioning or water coolers (may indicate a Legionella pneumonia infection)
- Time spent in crowded locations such as homeless shelters or jails/ prisons (may indicate a Streptococcus pneumonia, Mycobacteria, Mycoplasma, and Chlamydia infection)
- Animal Exposure (eg, Chlamydia psittaci is found in individuals with exposure to birds)