New ATS practice guideline on community acquired pneumonia

Recommendation 2

In hospitalized patients with suspected CAP, we suggest nucleic acid-based testing of respiratory samples for viral pathogens other than influenza only in patients that meet one of the following conditions:

* Patients with severe CAP

* Immunocompromised patients (including neutropenia, active cancer therapy, history of solid organ or blood component transplant, advanced HIV disease, or chronic use of immunosuppressive medications including systemic corticosteroids). (conditional recommendations, very low-quality evidence)

"Molecular diagnostics for lung infections are rapidly evolving. We will continue to monitor developments to determine when additional updates are appropriate," noted guideline panelists Scott Evans, MD and Charles Dela Cruz, MD, PhD. "We also look forward to reviewing more literature that directly link the use of molecular diagnostics on important outcomes, such as death, morbidity, antimicrobial drug use patterns, and costs."

The ATS has published more than 20 clinical practice guidelines on various conditions, ranging from allergy and asthma to TB and other pulmonary infections. For ATS guideline implementation tools and derivatives, go here.