Antibacterial treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: the role of therapeutic agents other than the macrolide

The optimal guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia are not well established, and the relevant pathogen is often unknown. Initial choice of an antimicrobial agent should depend on the initial severity of the patient's illness, site of acquisition, age, coexisting illness and treatment setting. Few reliable studies have been performed to establish the supremacy of any antibiotic agent in this condition, either for ambulatory or hospital treatment.