Purpose: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is still associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. In this point-of-view review paper, a group of experts discuss the main controversies in SCAP: the role of severity scores to guide patient settings of care and empiric antibiotic therapy; the emergence of pathogens outside the core microorganisms of CAP; viral SCAP; the best empirical treatment; septic shock as the most lethal complication; and the need for new antibiotics. Methods: For all topics, the authors describe current controversies and evidence and provide recommendations and suggestions for future research. Evidence was based on meta-analyses, most recent RCTs and recent interventional or observational studies. Recommendations were reached by consensus of all the authors. Results and conclusions: The IDSA/ATS criteria remain the most pragmatic tool to predict ICU admission. The authors recommend a combination of a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor or a third G cephalosporin plus a macrolide in most SCAP patients, and to empirically cover PES (P. aeruginosa, extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant S. aureus) pathogens when at least two specific risk factors are present. In patients with influenza CAP, the authors recommend the use of oseltamivir and avoidance of the use of steroids. Corticosteroids can be used in case of refractory shock and high systemic inflammatory response.

Introduction: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) has classically been described as a serious complication in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the emerging number of conditions associated with immunosuppression has led to its appearance in other patient populations, such as those receiving chronic corticosteroid therapy, those with hematological or solid malignancies, transplant recipients and those who receive immunomodulatory or biological therapy. Areas covered: This article reviews the most recent publications on PcP in the HIVinfected and HIV-uninfected population, focusing on epidemiology, diagnostic, therapy and prevention. The data discussed here were mainly obtained from a non-systematic review using Medline and references from relevant articles including randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, observational studies and clinical reviews. Eligible studies were selected in two stages: sequential examination of title and abstract, followed by full text. Expert opinion: Widespread use of antiretroviral and prophylactic therapy in HIVinfected patients has decreased the incidence of PcP in this population. However, the growing incidence of Pneumocystis infection in the HIV-uninfected population suggests the need for new global epidemiological studies in order to identify the true scale of the disease in this population. These data would allow us to improve diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and clinical management. It is very important that both patients and physicians realize that HIV-uninfected patients are at risk of PcP and that rapid diagnosis and early initiation of treatment are associated with better prognosis. Currently, in-hospital mortality rates are very high: 15% for HIV-infected patients and 50% in some HIV-uninfected patients. Therefore, adequate preventive measures should be implemented to avoid the high mortality rates seen in recent decades.

This article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2019. Other selected articles can be found online at https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/annualupdate2019 . Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from http://www.springer.com/series/8901 .

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We investigated the risk and prognostic factors of pure viral sepsis in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), using the Sepsis-3 definition. Pure viral sepsis was found in 3% of all patients (138 of 4028) admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of CAP, 19% of those with CAP (138 of 722) admitted to the intensive care unit, and 61% of those (138 of 225) with a diagnosis of viral CAP. Our data indicate that males and patients aged ≥65 years are at increased risk of viral sepsis.