pediatrics
Neonatal Pneumonia
Diagnosis of Neonatal Pneumonia
Chest x-ray Evaluation includes chest x-ray, pulse oximetry, blood cultures, and Gram stain and culture of tracheal aspirate. New, persistent infiltrates should be visible on chest x-ray but may be difficult to recognize if the infant has severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) . If Gram stain of tracheal aspirate shows a significant number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and a single organism that is consistent with the one that grows from culture of the tracheal aspirate, the likelihood increases that this organism is the cause of the pneumonia. Because bacterial pneumonia in neonates may disseminate, a Diagnosis , including a lumbar puncture, should also be done. However, blood cultures are positive in only 2 to 5% of cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia. 