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Pneumonia in a nursing home

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Abstract

The authors studied nursing home residents serologically to determine whether atypical organisms were causes of radiologic pneumonia. The study was conducted at the Wisconsin Veterans Home, a facility with on-site microbiology and x-ray. Over one year, serologic examinations for Legionella, Mycoplasma, and Chlamydia were conducted for the residents who had pneumonia. Cultures and mortality were reviewed. Fifty-six episodes were studied (mean resident age 78 years). There was no fourfold titer change. Seventeen quality sputum specimens revealedStreptococcus pneumoniae (5), normal flora (4),Hemophilus influenzae (4),Moraxella catarrbalis (3),Staphylococcus aureus (1), and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, not group A (1). The two-month mortality was 21%. This study did not result in serologic confirmation of atypical organisms’ causing pneumonia. Antibiotic choice should be based on coverage of prevalent organisms, includingHemophilus influenzae, Moraxella, and Staphylococcus, as well as clinical features.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wisconsin Veterans Home, 54946-0620, King, WI

    Paul J. Drinka MD (Medical Director), Cathy Gauerke MT, Susan Voeks PhD, Janice Miller MT, Shiela Schultz RN & Peggy Krause RN

  2. Veterans Administration Medical Center-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

    Paul J. Drinka MD (Medical Director)

  3. the State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin

    Rjurik Golubjatnikov PhD

Authors
  1. Paul J. Drinka MD
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  2. Cathy Gauerke MT
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  3. Susan Voeks PhD
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  4. Janice Miller MT
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  5. Shiela Schultz RN
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  6. Peggy Krause RN
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  7. Rjurik Golubjatnikov PhD
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Drinka, P.J., Gauerke, C., Voeks, S. et al. Pneumonia in a nursing home. J Gen Intern Med 9, 650–652 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02600312

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