Diagnosis and management of community—acquired pneumonia in childhood—South African Thoracic Society guidelines

Outcome of human immunodeficiency virus–exposed and –infected children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit for respiratory failure*

“…It is well known that few children with proven bacterial pneumonia have positive sputa or blood cultures (11). A follow up study employing PCR for bacterial antigens would be advantageous.…”

Costs of admission for paediatric pneumonia in a setting of human immunodeficiency virus infection

“…16 Lack of positive yield on blood culture is a universally acknowledged phenomenon in childhood pneumonia. 17 The greater likelihood of culturing an organism from blood specimens in HIV-infected children has also been previously described. 17 This study was conducted before a routine policy of sampling for Pneumocystis jerovicii and Cytomegalo…”

The role of appropriate diagnostic testing in acute respiratory tract infections: An antibiotic stewardship strategy to minimise diagnostic uncertainty in primary care

“…[17,48] According to Bradley et al, [46] severity assess ment for children aged ≥3 -6 months should also be performed on the grounds of the presence or absence of major and minor risk factors, but this is complex and may require referral. [49] The role of biomarkers in differentiating types of ARTI There is increasing evidence of a role for biomarkers, such as CRP and procalcitonin (PCT), in the management of patients presenting with ARTI. [45] In fact, a recent Cochrane review concluded that POCT for biomarkers (e.g.…”