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Background Non severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common problem in primary care. So called “walking” CAP is frequently caused by atypical intracellular pathogens Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumonia which are resistant to beta-lactams and can be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy one. Taking into account medical and epidemiologic importance of this problem we aimed to estimate appropriateness of the antimicrobial agent (AM) choice for outpatient treatment of mild CAP by current and future primary care providers with regard to atypical pathogens coverage. Methods Total 240 final year medical students of A.I.Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (Group 1) and 206 Moscow primary care physicians (Group 2) were surveyed in 2019. Respondents were asked to specify in writing what particular AM they would recommend to 35 year old previously healthy male patient with subfebrile body temperature (37.3 °C), non-productive cough and documented CAP. Chi-square test was used to compare the data obtained in both groups. Results Group 1 respondents returned questionnaires with 271 recommendations, Group 2 participants named 230 items. AMs with atypical pathogens coverage (macrolides, fluoroquinolones and doxycycline) accounted for just 33.2% in Group 1 versus 20.0% in Group 2 (p=.0009). Amoxicillin/clavulanate was the leading choice equally popular both in students and physicians (42.1% and 40.9% respectively). The rest of recommendations in both Groups included amoxicillin and various cephalosporins. Conclusions Only one of three students and one of five physicians made the right choice in offered clinical scenario. A majority of respondents in both groups hastily recommended beta-lactams instead of clinical estimation of atypical CAP probability in given situation, but students indicated appropriate AMs more often. This problem obviously persists and requires action from both academics and healthcare managers. Key messages Medical students and primary care physicians’ awareness of atypical CAP presentation and treatment is not quite satisfactory. Resulting undertreatment of atypical CAP may harm the patient and promote further spread of causative pathogen within the community.

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